Your Daughter Calls Me Daddy Too
by MindTrash
Summary: Sakura is helping out Suna, and their beloved Kazekage. When a 'daddy' joke gets Gaara to do some deep thinking, Sakura decides to lend her services to the shyest kage she's ever met. Gaa/Saku
1. Chapter 1

Heat. Powerful, merciless, relentless heat. That's all she could feel in that moment.

She panted hard while wiping the sweat from her brow to keep it from getting in her eyes. Her body heaved with exertion as she worked her hands down burning, wet skin.

"You're doing a great job." The redhead approved of her enthusiasm and stamina. Yet part of him worried that she would run out of energy and that all of this would end in disappointment. That and for some reason he had a desire to see her full of vitality and happiness. "Please don't push yourself too hard though, I would prefer that your hokage didn't hunt me down for over-exerting her favorite pupil."

Teal eyes met with Aqua in response to his words. She could tell he was concerned for her, which shocked her since Gaara wasn't known for being affectionate. She wondered if it was only because she was friends with Naruto.

"I'm not weak, Lord Kazekage. I've trained my body to last in tough conditions. You won't ruin me so easily." Sakura smirked at him. "If you need me to go harder I will do so, push me as much as you want I promise I won't break."

"You know, if I couldn't see what you two were actually doing I'd think you guys were speaking from a faaaaar different scenario." Kankuro snickered darkly as the kunoichi shot her head up to look at him incredulously. A blush beginning to tinge her porcelain cheeks, and he knew it wasn't from the sun. She began to sputter in nervousness and he laughed heartily before wincing over his injury on his abdomen.

"You know I could leave you to die." Sakura darkened considerably, suddenly everyone felt as if there was a chill in the burning desert air. Sakura was just thankful that Gaara didn't have enough social experience to understand his brother's statement.

"Kankuro, please keep your perversion to yourself. You're disturbing our friend and ally." The kazekage crossed his arms sternly while sporting his classic intimidating glare.

Sakura paled many shades that didn't suit her skin. 'Oh my god. If he understood what Kankuro meant that means he had to have thought about it too right?!' Her eyes bulged at the thought of the social recluse even having a sex life let alone a romantic relationship. If it wasn't for Kankuro she probably would have dug a hole to bury herself in.

"Oh man, did you really think that he wouldn't get it? I mean he hasn't even gotten to first base but he has read a book-."

"Kankuro!" Gaara warned him in a dangerous tone. "If you don't shut your own mouth I will do it for you!" His sand waved dangerously around his feet. The older brother suddenly realized where he went wrong with the conversation and felt his guilt set in.

'I embarrassed him... he most likely doesn't want it spread around.' Kankuro grimaced at his mistake.

"I'm sorry Gaara, I didn't mean for that to come out. I mean especially in front of a cute girl n' all I can see why it's emba-OW OW OW OW!" A sand clone appeared to swiftly grab at the puppet master's hair and twisted. "I'LL STOP! I'LL STOP!" He groaned painfully then as his abdomen suddenly alerted him that it was still injured. Luckily Sakura noticed.

"I know you have a right to get him back for being an idiot but can it wait until after I've healed him, Lord Kazekage?" The kunoichi smiled brightly at the irritated leader hoping that if she were extra sweet he might listen to her. He looked at her angrily at first, but then calmed after realizing that she was still on his side of the argument. He finally let go and stepped away to busy himself. Perhaps keeping a lookout for any more attackers.

It wasn't uncommon for him to be attacked outside of his borders. There were those who wanted him out of power since he was still a 'threat'. He was fortunate that Sakura had been with him on the one, and so far only day that someone had gotten hurt. She was here training in some of his medical ninjas and updating their medicinal archives. Kankuro had taken a very bad slice to the stomach that would have been a death sentence if it weren't for the kunoichi. She didn't even flinch when holding in his brother's spilling innards. A truly remarkable ninja, certainly a jewel of the village hidden in the leaves.

'-especially in front of a cute girl'

Kankuro's words danced around in his head.

'-in front of a cute girl'

He hadn't really thought about it, yet there it suddenly was.

'-a cute girl'

She was more than just cute, more leaning on beautiful. Her porcelain skin, sweet pink hair, lithe body, and most importantly those eyes that were almost as striking as his own. Not to mention she had a strong and dedicated heart that was universally admired. Yes, Sakura Haruno would make someone very happy some day.

Gaara tried to not to dance around the idea of the opposite sex. He was a busy man dedicated to his job, that and the only women that desired him now did so for unfortunately the wrong reasons. On occasion a beautiful girl would turn his head, making him wish for a quick moment that he would just abandon the idea of living alone just so that he could feel what everyone considered to be 'true love'. That and he was human regardless of what others thought. He too had urges that he often suppressed deep down hidden under all his sand, but it would take an extreme effort on a ladies part to get him to come out of that shell. She'd have to really know what made him tick.

"Hey man, you lost in there? All those pretty girls keeping your thoughts occupied?" Kankuro ducked just in time to avoid getting hit in the face by Gaara's right hook. "Woo! Just teasing jeez!"

"Kankuro, you play too much!" Sakura jumped in just in time. "Plus your organs are bruised, you still need to rest. You can't be going around causing a ruckus in your state." She scolded him firmly causing both boys to be taken aback by her forwardness.

"Yes, mommy." He gave her a shit-eating grin. Sakura froze for a second finding the term strange but not necessarily insulting.

However, what was really strange was the confused face Gaara had towards the conversation. The kunoichi noticed his reaction and smiled at him.

"If I'm your mother then that means I'm Gaara's mother too huh?" She giggled at his morphing reactions to her statement. 'I bet he would have been a mamas boy had she survived his birth...poor guy, but hey! He's the leader of Suna now! She would be so proud!' Then it dawned on her that she had used the wrong pronoun when addressing him, making her last comment much more personal than she meant it to be. "I'm very sorry that was impolite of me I apologize Lord Kazekage." She quickly tried to recover the situation.

"You may call me Gaara, it's less of a mouthful." The redhead finally came back down to earth after his head spun around the idea of Sakura playing mom to him. Sadly he found the idea pleasant and welcome.

"Oh, but sir I don't want to overstep-"

"You knew me first as a strange, and violent boy in the leaf chunin exams. You may call me by any name you find acceptable." His face went neutral to his own comment, remembering the fact that he had tried to kill her just because she looked at him with those big beautiful eyes of hers. Sakura seemed to deflate as well, it must have been the same memory that caused her grief.

Kankuro had to fix this fast, it was turning far too depressing for his liking and he wanted Gaara to enjoy the friendships he had now instead of dwelling on the past.

"I'm sure she'll call you daddy if you ask her to." That got their attention quicker than he expected. He decided then that his next words were going to put him in an early grave. "Just make sure no one is around though when she does, that's a kink you don't really want to flaunt in public!"

He didn't know who was redder in the face or who punched him first. All he knew was his nose was broken, but even in all that pain he was still laughing.

"I apologize for him, I don't know why he says these things..." Gaara frowned. He was not enjoying this day and truly wanted to be back home watering and caring for his cactus plants. He was looking everywhere except in Sakura's direction. The imagery was a little too much for him at the moment and he did not want this woman to see him blush. Or anyone for that matter.

"I think I get why he does it, obviously when things get bad or too serious he doesn't want you to hurt. So he cracks those stupid jokes to distract you from the pain." The kunoichi smiled warmly again, finding the sentiment sweet. "It's actually really sweet, even though I seem to be caught in the crossfire..." she frowned before gathering her things with a huff.

Gaara left it the way it was, not answering her or stating any form of opinion. He merely stayed silent as the three of them trekked through the desert to get back to Suna.

"So I hear you got my baby brother all flustered out in the desert!" Temari slid into the seat next to Sakura with a devilish grin. She ordered up some snacks from the bartender before continuing her speech. "Heard he got so embarrassed he actually threw a punch!"

"Hey it wasn't my fault! Kankuro was teasing him to distract him from the intestines hanging outside of his body. To be honest I think Gaara was starting to look a little green..." the pink kunoichi nibbled at her grilled food. She felt bad for Gaara truly. He had no experience with girls whatsoever, and now she knew about it.

'But that expression he gave was so unbecoming of him. I never expected to see a blushing Gaara, let alone find him cute.' Suddenly she stopped mid bite, coming the realization that she subconsciously admitted he was cute. 'Sakura, you didn't say sexy... you said cute. Lots of boys are cute. Lots of girls are cute. Kittens are cute! This term is definitely ok to use!' She sighed inwardly with relief, feeling she dodged a bullet.

"That stupid Kankuro, I swear he's been trying to get Gaara to date since he first found an interest in being kind to people." Temari huffed bitterly, gaining Sakura's undivided attention.

"Gaara hasn't even dated?" Her brows raised up high in surprise. In all honesty Gaara was not an unattractive person, on the contrary she would allow herself to admit (not openly of course) that he had rather handsome features. He had intelligence, was stoic, logical, strong, had a striking appearance that played out well for the eyes, a kind of sultry dry voice... one that sounded like he were fatigued but in a way that seemed like he was tired for all the 'right' reasons.

'Sakura, no no no. Nope. Do not even begin to go there.' She mentally slapped her own hands.

"No he hasn't dated. He won't date. Period! Sometimes I wonder if he's gay... but then I've seen him glance, only for a second though, when a really pretty girl passes by him. It's that classic guy look where they look the lady up and down only he does it in a fraction of a second!" The blonde woman waved her arms in frustration. "But he won't go any further than that! It really does concern me. What's also weird was that when he was younger he did get hit on once when we weren't in Suna. He made a pretty disturbing comment about it that really told me how not so innocent he is."

Sakura stopped eating when she was reminded of Gaara's early years. Her curiosity was killing her to know just what he thought of women at that time. She took the bait. 'Damnit Temari.'

"What do you mean by 'disturbing'?" The pink kunoichi's words wavered, betraying her true feelings on the matter. Temari leaned in close for only she and her friend to hear.

"He said he had already seen what girls look like on the inside, and that the screaming he'd cause for them would not be the kind they are looking for." Temari tensed as she said it, obviously digging up bad memories. Sakura was just as disturbed yet she wasn't afraid of him now, but if a 13 year old Gaara showed up she would probably look for the nearest exit.

"That's rather dark... but Kankuro said he hadn't gotten far with anyone..."

"Sakura, I'm pretty sure he meant that he knew what they look like inside from how many he had killed..." the blonde cringed.

"GIRLS?!" The pink one nearly screeched.

"Oh no not little ones... just the big ones that tried to kill him first ya know?" It were as if Temari was trying to justify his murderous past.

"Temari why are you telling me this?" Sakura finally groaned and rested her head on the restaurant table, completely lost on ever eating again.

"I want to try something, and that's literally the worst girl moment from him and he didn't even hurt the girl hitting on him he merely ignored her." The blonde moved from discomfort to sly in an instant. "You're very very beautiful Sakura, all the boys back in the leaf love you and I know you have a small fan club forming here so I know you understand how to grab someone's attention!"

"Oh please don't say it-"

"I need you to hit on Gaara, I just need to see if he's really still messed up on that!" Temari clapped her hands together in a begging fashion.

"NO! Oh my god! I can't do that! He's the kazekage! Plus, I don't like him that way and what if he takes the bait?! What if he returns anything I throw at him? I can't risk that!" The girl sputtered nervously, trying her damnest to shut the request down.

"Sakura please? I mean if he gets a crush on you so what? A crush is a crush it's not like he's going to fall in love with you! C'mon please! I just want to know what's going on in his head!" Temari grabbed Sakura's hands tightly. "Please, I'm just worried that he's going to remain alone and I can't be here forever. I need to know that he'll be able to find other women to rely on, and that the skill is not lost on him. Plus you are the only woman I can trust for the job!" She begged and begged with large baby-blue puppy eyes. These sand siblings always knew how to make her bend to their will, and it pissed her off. Yet, she loved them all very much, and wanted each of them to find their own respective happiness.

"UuuuuuuuuughIcantbelieveimdoingthis FINE!" The pink kunoichi stood up abruptly while the blonde watched on in shock. "We'll do it right now, you want to know right? Bring me to him!" She stood proudly, and radiated confidence.

"YES! Thank you!" Temari clapped happily before giving her friend a tight hug. Sakura only groaned in displeasure. She knew she was going to regret this...

"Lord Kazekage." The pink kunoichi bowed honorably as she entered his office.

"Sakura." Gaara smiled slightly, as if he were pleasantly surprised by her random appearance. She studied the way he said her name... the way it rolled off of his tongue gave her goosebumps that she hoped he didn't notice. She tried to pretend they didn't happen as well. 'It's just cause your going to flirt with him! Stop getting so nervous you're trained for this!'

"Kankuro is healing up nicely, apparently Temari has also been brought up to speed on what happened." She beamed.

"I informed her upon entry back into the city, I assume she went and saw Kankuro as well. She does a good job of making rounds to check on everyone." He looked down at his paperwork to sign a few more documents.

"She'll be a great wife someday I imagine." Sakura was clever when it came to getting people to think, she merely had to find common scenarios in able for her victim to start trying to link everything together. People will naturally (usually) try to empathize with someone else's situation, so bringing up the idea of Temari getting married should be enough to get him thinking about marriage itself then eventually to the core part of finding a girl. It was brilliant.

"I'm sure she will, as will you I assume."

Now she wasn't expecting that. That simple sentence was enough to tell her that he either considered her marriage material or imagined her marrying off to someone else. Regardless this was not the thought path she wanted him to go down.

However it did open up the conversation for something a little more direct, which she wasn't sure she was comfortable going to. 'I promised Temari I'd figure him out, I'm a doctor so I've studied the mind enough to get past some of his walls. I'll just have to get over my own insecurities and just dive in.'

"That's kind of you to say, I'm flattered that you think I'd be a good wife." She had to hold back a grin lest she give herself away. She studied him carefully and noticed that for a moment he tensed, but it wasn't enough to give her any real answers. "Have you thought about settling down?"

Along with her question she moved carefully to the chair nearest to him, it was an extremely bold move but she needed to see what he did behind his desk as well as his facial expressions. Luckily the chair sat kitty corner from him, giving her a perfect view with which she could study him. He tensed for a moment again, but then eventually relaxed finding her non-threatening. He turned to face her as she relaxed her form in the chair, making sure her body language let him know subconsciously that she was open to him rather than closed off. He turned further to face her direction, giving her his full attention. 'That's right, there's a good kazekage. Come to Sakura.' She inwardly laughed at herself.

"I don't think that's a good option for me." He gave her a sad smile, and her heart cracked a little.

"Why not? You're a nice guy I'm sure there are lots of women out there who would go out with you if you asked." She gave him a true smile to which he brightened slightly.

"I wasn't always nice, you know this personally. I'm glad I could at least fix things with you, but unfortunately I have burned many bridges and that title will always put a stain on my hands." He looked down at the floor, emotionless.

"There are women who can ignore that fact." She replied.

"I'd rather they understand I'm a monster, and still be able to love me regardless."

The air hung silently and heavy, somehow the mood dropped drastically. She was going to have to take drastic measures now to get back on track. 'Well, here goes the farm...'

"You almost killed me back then, I should have every reason to hate you for it." She expected it when his head shot up to look at her in a desperate way. She didn't wait for the feeling to sink into him. "However, you have become a great companion, and I would keep those bad memories as payment for the incredible man sitting before me."

His eyes widened slightly at her declaration, and something in her told her she just won many brownie points. Time to hit home.

"You're worth it, and you'd make a fine husband and lover."

She regretted saying 'lover' the second it left her mouth. She didn't mean to say that and it instantly upped the ante. There was a blush beginning to tinge his cheeks and she understood exactly why. She knew he was starting to think about her in a not so pure light. 'Shit...too far too far!'

"You...flatter me, Sakura. Perhaps you're right. Maybe I should start courting." She could see his mind begin to wander, and she understood that she had to lay down a barrier to keep him from thinking of her as a possible partner.

"Of course, Lord Kazekage." She stressed his pronoun and he seemed to notice. He turned slightly stoney at the word.

"Please, we're having a casual conversation there is no need to refer to me as kazekage." Her heart started to break a little further when she saw a sad expression begin to form. 'Damn damn damn! That was too much too! You're going to lose him you idiot! Say something funny quick!'

"Would you prefer I call you Daddy?"

'NO NO NO WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?! YOU FUCKING MORON!' Sakura winced inwardly but kept her cool on the outside, faking a smile. Watching him do a double take made her half want to laugh and half hide her face in embarrassment. The blush that crept up his cheeks however, was enough to make this whole ordeal worth it. 'Oh that's just adorable'

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to make you blush I was merely teasing you." She truly giggled and found that just pointing out the fact that he was blushing made him redden even more. "Is it really that bad? I'm sorry I'm not trying to be perverted I just wanted to get a laugh out of you. I guess I got something else instead."

His eyes found hers instantly, locked in shock over how blunt the conversation was. He wasn't used to this, especially from people he knew and trusted. His lips parted slightly, unable to find words. Sakura tilted her head slightly, analyzing him before standing and stepping towards him. She bent down far enough to press her head against his own. He breathed in sharply upset that his body was betraying him.

"Your head does feel quite hot... maybe you actually have a fever?" She noticed him trying to look everywhere but her face or her now visible cleavage. He breathed nervously through his nose. Sakura had never felt so powerful in her life, she was bringing one of the most frightening men in the world to the point of being a flustering hormonal teenager. The high was enough to keep her charade going.

"Maybe you got too much sun today..." her hand wrapped around to grasp gently at the back of his neck to gingerly tangle her fingers in his hair. 'So soft...almost like a mink...' Her fingers absentmindedly felt around his hair and she used her other hand to tilt up his head. He was still trying to avoid looking at her. "Can you make eye contact with me please? I want to check your eyes."

"I-is this really necessary?" He choked on his words, instantly giving him away. She was starting to feel bad over how much he was shaking, but it was just too cute to stop.

"Yeah, I want to check your pupils if possible." She fought hard to contain a smirk, she was going to play dumb for as long as she could. "Please, Gaara. It's ok to look at me I don't bite."

His blush came back full swing and his eyes accidentally found hers. Though his eyes were strange and seemed like no pupil existed, there was in fact one there but it was so similar in color to the rest of his eye that it blended in well. It took her a moment of searching before realizing just how dilated his eyes were. Oh boy she pushed him a little too far, that was nearly a drug like effect.

'Just one more thing then I'll leave him alone.'

"Just as I thought, dilated. I think something odd is going on... are you thirsty at all?" She then bent down, resting one knee on his chair right between his legs as she moved foreword to put her ear to his chest. His breath hitched at the contact and he continued to breathe in almost a panicked fashion. Sakura suppressed a giggle and listened to his rapid heart beat. "Your heart is going so fast! Do you feel ok?"

The kunoichi felt and heard him swallow hard, literally everything told her that he was more than just interested. He was in pure wanting. It shouldn't have made her blush but her face betrayed her. She knew he was turned on and for some sick reason she found it flattering to her ego. 'Aaaand now I'm going to hell for seducing Suna's pride and joy. Crap.' She pulled back and looked him over. He was shivering slightly, but his eyes betrayed him even more in showing just how much he wanted to make a move.

Damn her. Damn him. Damn Temari for asking her to do this.

He licked his lips; his bottom lip catching in his teeth as he sinfully nibbled at it. If Gaara wanted to he could easily star in an adult film. He wouldn't even need a costar he could just sit there biting his lip, and it would be enough to get people off. 'Wow Sakura, calm down. Chill out. Friend zone this crap right now!'

She couldn't say anything. He just sat there like a tasty snack waiting patiently to be devoured or to devour someone himself. His large eyes growing hazy, and lidded with need. His breath shallow with sharp yet quiet huffs. It was sexy, and pitiful at the same time. She had to stop these thoughts IMMEDIATELY.

"You don't seem to be feeling to good, I'm going to go grab you some water ok?" Suddenly this sobered her, he was truly innocent to this sort of thing, and she got him all riled up just to be denied any sort of release or satisfaction. She felt incredibly guilty, but she didn't actually want to sleep with him. Or at least that's what she believed her feelings to tell her.

Teasing him was incredible, but she didn't realize how horrible she'd feel about it. 'I am a terrible human being.'

Sakura stood up straight and swiftly went to exit the room. She didn't know for sure if he was watching her, but she had an inkling that his eyes were wandering her retreating frame. She kept her word on getting him water though and was soon back at his door with the large plastic bottle. She stood at the door staring it down, wondering if she should go back in. 'Don't go leaving him like that, at least calm him down...' nodding to herself she went back in with a smile plastered on her face.

"Gaa-ra! Got you some water!" Sakura treaded carefully over to where his chair was. He was facing away from the entry and had his eyes shielded by his hand. 'Oh no did I really mess him up?' "Hey, here's some water... it'll help calm you down."

He didn't answer her, instead he concentrated deeply on breathing.

"Listen... you need to drink this." He looked at the bottle suspiciously, then back at her. 'Oh yeah. Jinchuriki. Trust problems. Gotcha.' She opened the bottle and tilted her head back to drink from it, and she let herself drink a fair amount for good measure. He watched her intently as she gulped down the liquid, she swore she saw him lick his lips again but she wasn't positive. Bringing it back down she sighed happily feeling refreshed, and handed him the bottle with no cap.

He eyed the opening of the bottle with an innocent curiosity, it was still wet from her drinking from it. Not slobbered on, but there was evidence that her lips had been there...wrapped tightly around the mouth of the bottle...gulping away at its contents...

Gaara visibly shivered, the visual was going to haunt him for a very long time. He cautiously brought the bottle to his mouth and drank slowly, gathering water little by little in his mouth then gulping it down. He was a mess and he knew it.

"I'm sorry if I touched you too much, I know personal space is kind of an issue for you, and as a doctor I'm so used to just getting in there..."

"Touch me however you desire I don't really care." Gaara instantly regretted saying that and immediately backtracked his statement. "That...came out wrong...I apologize..." he looked at the floor almost wide eyed. He had never given anyone permission to just openly touch him however they wanted. This was very bad...

"I think you meant it the way you said it." Sakura allowed herself to smirk this time causing the kazekage to nearly gape at her. "I'll remember that in the future."

Standing up she stretched; limbering up for the walk back to her room they graciously let her stay at for the time being.

'...maybe one last parting gift...just for the road...'

"Don't work yourself too hard, Daddy."

Oh she was definitely going to hell. Most definitely indeed.

AN: welp it happened. I have started another smutty story. I'm excited for this pairing though I really do like them together. Review if you want more ;)


	2. Chapter 2

It had been over a week yet he was still feeling the buzz of attraction. This had never happened before, and he had absolutely no clue what to do with himself.

So he avoided her like the plague.

His best solution was to get as far away from the problem as possible, and continue to beat and bury it into a hole.

'I can't even think to myself without perversion hanging on every word...'

Gaara groaned again alone, and frustrated in his office. He fisted his hands into his hair while subconsciously letting his sand release his pent up energy. The sand swirled, and danced along the walls yet it brought him no relief like it usually did. He couldn't ditch the sensation that tingled through him at inopportune moments. He had completely ignored, and rejected any type of sexual satisfaction out of fear of imagining her. He didn't want to open that can of worms.

The young kazekage wasn't one to act on urges like that or at least they were never strong enough that he felt he had to. The only time he had was a very disgusting night after murdering a group of people. It was a full moon, and Shukaku had been restless inside him. So he released his animalistic rage in every way he knew how.

By maiming, and enjoying the high of a fresh kill so much that he decided that it would be a good time to 'experiment'.

Ever since then he had felt slightly disgusted over the idea of even fathoming masturbation let alone going through with it again.

But this time... this time he very much wanted to do it, but his guilty conscience got in his way. 'Damn that woman...'

His thoughts were disturbed as the door to his office opened quietly only to reveal that it was a rather concerned Kankuro. He waved stupidly before entering; eyeing the sand carefully around the room.

"You must be in a bad mood. Should I come back later?" He chuckled slightly and relaxed realizing there was no real danger.

"Heh, I'll be moody later too so don't count on it." Gaara stood from his seat and began pacing slowly around the room. 'Perhaps a second opinion wouldn't hurt...' He swallowed then paused not knowing how to really start. "I need your advice... and I'm not asking as Kazekage, but because you are my older brother..." He stared at the floor suddenly feeling that he might be making a mistake. 'It's Kankuro, he'll understand...'

"Gaara, you have my full attention buddy. Lets talk." The puppet master walked over to the small couch in the room. He sat down before patting the cushion next to him harshly in a gesture that told Gaara that he was being asked to sit down as well. He sighed, and then followed the direction accordingly. "Okay dude, what's going on with you? You look rough..." The concern was genuine, and that comforted the young Kazekage more than anyone would realize.

He breathed deeply.

"There was an incident... involving someone else. I am slightly disturbed by it. Perhaps one would say haunted." Gaara cringed. A mere flash of a memory of Sakura checking his pulse with her bare ear to his chest, and he could still smell the perfume of her hair. She smelled like a hazy spring daydream.

"Did someone threaten you?" Kankuro darkened with a look most ninja should fear, but Gaara could brush it off with ease.

"No... quite the opposite really..."

'You're worth it, and you'd make a fine husband and lover.'

The memory clung to him while pulling at his most vulnerable strings. He felt the rush of that statement coming back to him, and the result showed on his cheeks. Kankuro did not fail to notice as he blinked at his baby brother in shock.

"I see..." The elder paused before cracking a smile. "So, how far did you get with said pretty little thing?"

"It wasn't like that! I didn't even touch her! She just started touching me out of nowhere acting like something was wrong with me! Saying I had a fever... that she wanted to check my pulse..." Suddenly that shy little boy started to appear again in him. That shyness that consumed him when she had her hands in his hair, her long fingers giving him tingles down his spine. He raised his hand to his mouth to lightly bite his knuckle in a nervous tick.

"Oh man, you really like her huh? She sounds like a nurse." As Kankuro continued to speak Gaara felt the blood drain from his face.

'He can't find out it was Sakura!'

"Oooo hotty naughty nurse huh? I wonder if she wears those tight little white nurse dresses... high heels and stockings..." He managed to give Gaara a visual that he honestly did not need at the moment.

"Kankuro, you are making the situation worse." The redhead grimaced trying to push down any sort of libido attempting to rise in him. His older brother laughed loudly, enjoying this far to much for Gaara's comfort.

"Just ask her out! What's the harm in it? The worst is that she'll say no, then you'll just have to either hang out with your hand or look somewhere else ya know?" He laughed even further at the younger's distaste at Kankuro's solutions. "I'm serious though. Just... I dunno flirt a little?"

"Flirt how? I've never flirted before." As much as he was already shooting himself down in his mind he was still rather intrigued.

"I've seen you smart-mouth your way around the council; you know how to play games with them. Being with a woman is similar. Talk your way around them, they aren't visual creatures like we are they have bigger imaginations and require more conversation." He nodded to himself.

"What do you mean we are 'visual' and they aren't?" The redhead was already confused, and sadly whenever he was confused EVERYONE found it cute.

"Well... men like a visual. For example: we go out and get those dirty mags to look at the pretty naked girls. Girls buy romantic books to get their kicks. Remember all those mushy books we found in Temari's room?" Kankuro grinned in a way that was infectious along with the hilarious memory of the fit she had thrown over them going through her stuff. Gaara eventually nodded. "Yeah it's like that! They love that stuff. So just use your imagination and your big-boy words then the girls will just fall down for you."

"What about becoming physical with them?" The redhead waisted no time jumping to the topic of real disturbance, and the older brother blanched.

"You want to get her to sleep with you?" The puppet master was concerned until he noticed Gaara flush from head to toe.

"I didn't say that! That's-just no! No! I'm not jumping to that!" He nearly flailed while his brother began to haw uncontrollably. "Just...touching. Not anything serious..."

"Well first off you're gonna have to ditch the attitude of not wanting to get some. It's totally messing up your confidence! The only time that 'shy' routine you put up works is if she has a dominant personality-"

"She takes the initiative a lot." Gaara stopped him before he could go into another rant. "I think she was pleased about my behavior. Like she was happy to see me... I don't know... embarrassed? I'm not sure."

"She sounds experienced. Maybe try doing things to tease her back, ya know, see if she 'squirms' when you make an intimate comment about her." He sounded more sersious than what was normal for Kankuro. This worried the young Kazekage.

This was a lot of information for Gaara to process. He didn't want to jump into anything, but he didn't want to leave it alone either. The best choice for him now was to simply go see her, and chat. Just normal conversation, and see where it went. Yes, that was the best solution.

Rising out of his chair he broke his older brother out of a certain perverse reverie before opening the door to leave his office.

"Hey hey hey! Where are you going?" The puppet master called out more concerned then he ought to be.

"Going for a walk. Just need some space." Without waiting for his brother's answer he took off down the hall of the Kazekage building. He knew she was still here, in fact he knew she would most likely be archiving at the moment.

'It's just talking. Nothing special. Just conversing between two friends.'

He walked for what seemed like ages to him, but only minutes to everyone else. The halls seemed to be empty today, everyone was out preparing for the oncoming monsoon. Rain was rare in Suna so when it did finally fall everyone seemed to either rejoice or panic. It was a mixed feeling for his people, but the empty halls as a result were welcome. He rounded another corner and continued his trek to find the pink haired woman.

Then he saw her out of the corner of his eye. She was in a small closet-like room that held scrolls for certain plant mixtures. The kunoichi was on her hands and knees on the floor desperately trying to grab at a scroll that had rolled under one of the shelves. The position was demeaning for any woman, but yet Gaara did not alert her of his presence. He noticed how shapely her backside was, and looked on silently in appreciation. Her shorts were very tight, and showed little to the imagination. He shook his head coming to the realization of how creepy this actually was. 'This is not like me... I'm not some sort of peeping pervert...'

Then a lightbulb went off. Perhaps a chance to tease her like Kankuro suggested? It was worth a shot. Using his sand he let it slither underneath her until it was right under her nose. She noticed immediately, and stopped her actions while holding her position. He chuckled as the sand graciously slid under the shelving to grab the scroll she so desperately wanted before dropping it into her capable hands. He watched as she finally sat up and relaxed. She let out a breath that she had obviously been keeping in.

"You shouldn't sneak up on people like that." She straightened up from the floor to brush the dust off her legs. Smirking as she went about her business.

"I'm sorry you just seemed to be having a hard time what with being on your hands, and knees." He already started to feel his power come back to him. Yes, he enjoyed being a snarky bastard sometimes. "I don't mind helping out, and I'm rather skilled with my sand."

Gaara watched for a moment as Sakura did a double take while ingesting his sentence as well as dissecting it. A range of emotions flittered past her face before settling on what seemed to be 'incredulous'.

"I'm sorry, did you say you're skilled with your ha-" She stopped herself before it could be said in the open, but the damage had been done. He knew what she was about to say and felt strangely pleased with himself. 'Now who has their head in the gutter?' He inwardly snickered.

"I said that I am skilled with my sand. However I'm sure my hands would also be included seeing as they concentrate its movements." As if to remind her he flicked his wrist, and the grains flowed around her legs then back over to his person to retreat into his gourd. He gave her a knowing smirk and she flushed a deep red. This was turning out to be very interesting.

"I didn't realize that you were a comedian, Gaara." Sakura almost said this with disdain, but continued to hold her cool. "You had better watch that mouth of yours though, it could get you into trouble." She turned to place the scroll on a small desk with a rather loud clack.

'Is she challenging me?'

"Bold words to say to a village leader." He narrowed his eyes. Suddenly this was turning into a fighting competition rather than a flirtatious one. She turned back around, and she revealed by her stance that she was indeed challenging him.

"Im not afraid of a village leader that blushes when I call him 'daddy'." She snapped back with snarky grin.

He did blush, but then saved himself with a lovely smile. He was going to hammer the last nail on the coffin.

"With how often you say it, I'd say you must think about it quite a bit." He smiled even further as her face turned a brighter shade of red. "Now that's a true blush, it suits you."

In a millisecond she lunged at him and pushed him into the door causing it to slam shut. To his surprise his sand did not come to his aid. She struggled to smack or pinch him, and he realized then that she was only doing it playfully rather than actually trying to hurt him. It wasn't hard to avoid her attacks, and he even wrestled with her arms a little bit.

"You're so dumb! Let me hit you! You jerk!" Sakura barked at him like an irritated child while Gaara actually started to laugh heartily. It was a true genuine laugh that made the woman he was wrestling with smile, and then try harder. She smacked away his arms then went in to pinch his sides. He occasionally voiced that it 'hurt' but truth be told he was having the time of his life. The roughhousing got to be too much however since Sakura found, and lifted a book over her head; shattering the lightbulb above them putting them in complete darkness. They both froze.

"Oh shit! No no no no no!" The kunoichi felt about for a door but ended up grabbing at Gaara instead. "Ah! Oh no I'm so sorry!"

"It's alright, are you hurt at all?" The young Kazekage usually went for business before pleasure so of course he concerned himself with her safety first before really taking in that they were in a close dark space together. However the feel of her hands still gripping at his coat around his chest and hips was distracting him rather quickly from the task at hand.

"Oh I'm fine, no cuts on me. Did the glass get you at all?" She ran her hands on his torso obviously not realizing how torturous that really was.

"Hnnn...no I'm fine..." Gaara felt himself beginning to lock up again. The more she felt around the harder it was for him to even function properly. That burning tingly feeling was starting to return, and he knew that soon she would realize that his shyness was starting to come back out. Sakura kept feeling around until she eventually just pressed her whole body against him in able to start feeling the wall behind him. He breathed tensely as her soft chest moved against his own, and he cursed the fabric separating them. She was so soft...

"Sorry I'm not trying to frisk you I'm just feeling for the door." She must have tried to move her head around him but failed as her chin grazed over his shoulder and instead she found her face in the crook of his neck. She laughed lightly, and he felt her breath flutter across his neck. He inhaled too sharply as she stopped everything she was doing, and froze. "I'm sorry Gaara, I'm not trying too...um..."

"It's ok. It's not important." His head dipped down and he could smell her hair. He almost groaned finding the scent intoxicating. "I'll just continue to hold still, and you can feel around..." The redhead almost smacked himself for not having more tact in his wording. "Ugh...I'll just stop talking."

Luckily she laughed at this instead of running away from the situation like he imagined her too.

"You're fine Gaara, I get what you're saying just give me a sec." She placed her palms flat against the door, and smoothed them against it all while still nearly hugging the man in front of her. He didn't know how much more of this he could take. The redhead had even thought to break down the door so he could literally run out of there like a bat out of hell. "God, where the hell is the handle?!"

Before he could even try to add his two cents on the possible whereabouts of the door knob she made his brain literally stop when he felt her hands travel down his legs. He swore his heart must have skipped because it was pounding so hard he thought it might break his sternum.

"Sorry, don't mind me! It's just an easier angle." Her voice was no longer close to his ears, but rather it sounded like it was coming from the floor.

He didn't know if the color had drained from his face or if it was flushed. All he knew was that his stomach flipped, and he felt increasingly dizzy in the pitch black of this tight space.

'She is literally kneeling...right in front of me...' Gaara felt the electricity in his body burn him at the realization. He knew that if she touched his skin she would feel an extreme heat. The redhead started to sweat for many reasons.

One of her hands was resting on his right thigh occasionally squeezing if she felt her balance sway. He swallowed hard when she unconsciously moved her hand up near a rather dangerous area out of the need for a spacial perspective. If she grabbed him now it would be all over. He doubted that she even knew how close she was too it...

"I think I feel it!" The kunoichi seemed to exclaim with a great amount of enthusiasm. It snapped Gaara out of a strange head space, and he had worried that perhaps all the excitement had dulled his senses.

"Feel what?" His voice shook a little more than he wanted it to. He knew he sounded strained, and worn thin. As if every muscle in his body was tightened. Which was mostly true.

"Uh the door handle?" Sakura laughed at him before finally turning the knob to push their 'jail cell' open. A cold rush of air, and a bright light blinded them for a moment causing the woman to grab the fabric of Gaara's pants. It shifted everything, and he nearly screamed at the sensation. He wanted to just die so he could leave this horrible feeling in a grave far far far away from him. In the midst of battling with his mind for control of his body Sakura finally noticed just where she was placed. She traced from her traitorous hand all the way up until she met his gaze.

At first he looked like he might just tell her to go for it. His eyes were lidded, his lips were parted, his skin glistened slightly, and his breath was shallow and sharp. God he wanted her to make a move. He wanted so badly for her to reach for that door handle again, close the door, and then use those soft hands on the buckles of his pants to release him to her pouting lips.

'Shame on you, Gaara. She is a comrade. Get yourself together, you're acting like a monster.'

He looked away from her, filled with so much guilt for even coming to that point. His face reddened further in the embarrassment that he had no discipline for these types of situations. He hated himself deeply. She seemed to notice the inner turmoil he was having.

"Hey now! Please don't make that face!" Sakura stood up abruptly to instantly go in to comfort him. Especially seeing as it was mostly her fault. "Oh Gaara, why didn't you tell me I was-"

"I'd rather we didn't talk about this." He spoke harshly, gaining a very hurt look from the kunoichi he'd grown so fond of. Another pang of guilt.

"Do you not trust me?" Sakura blinked at him before reaching up to wipe away a bead of sweat from his brow which she quickly learned was a far to personal gesture. He breathed painfully at the action before shaking his head.

"I don't trust myself." He didn't wait to watch her face fall. He quickly turned on his heal, and paced down the hall back to his office. He heard her calling out his name, but he ignored it. The young Kazekage wanted nothing more than to be alone at the moment; finding his new feelings to be too raw, and exposed.

'You're a monster. A crazed beast.'

The last thing he thought he heard was crying in the distance, but figured it was just his imagination attempting to tug at his strings.

AN: Aaaaaand cue drama! Did you really think we wouldn't put in some drama for Gaara? That little beeb is constantly surrounded by drama so of course we had to make it complicated here for him. Lol but I lurf him doh. Anyways review review review, I really enjoy people's thoughts and opinions :3


	3. Chapter 3

Sakura didn't understand why she was crying. It wasn't like she and Gaara were best friends.

Yet, somehow it hurt so much to watch him literally run away from her like he did. She didn't feel rejected per-say, but she did feel like she let him down, and that was so much worse.

She held her scrolls tightly in her hands as she wandered the halls. Luckily it wasn't a busy day so everything was rather quiet, and abandoned. The kunoichi sniffed, trying desperately to rub whatever tears remained in her eyes. Had she been paying more attention she would have noticed a familiar sand shinobi pass her.

"Yo Sakura, are you doing alright? Are you crying?"

Her head shot up to see Kankuro staring back at her. He seemed to be filled with concern as his face dropped into a sad expression. She understood that her eyes were most likely puffy, and red from the tears. With Kankuro there she suddenly felt like crying all over again, and her face began to morph with the oncoming tears.

"Woah! Hey now don't do that! Don't cry, it's gonna be ok." As if he knew exactly what she needed he gave her a hug. She cried loudly into his black clothing. "Hey...lets go somewhere else. It's better if we talk about this in private hm?"

She nodded somberly while allowing him to guide her into a vacant meeting room. The whole building was mostly for ninja officials, and the workplace of the Kazekage. However, it also housed the Kazekage, his family, and honored guests. So anything said in 'Gaara's home' still had to be done so carefully. There was almost no privacy with the exception of the living quarters.

The whole reason she had been staying there was more than just teaching medical ninjutsu while also updating the medical archives. She actually came to try to distract herself from her life back in Konoha. A way to find answers for herself. To find a path to happiness. A place where the pain Sasuke had put her through could finally die down. Hopefully into nothingness.

At any rate, Sakura had grown so close to the sand siblings that she practically began to see them as family. They had that vibe about them that made everyone feel like they were part of the team.

So it made sense to her that she would cry, and open up immediately at the request of any of them. However, Gaara seemed to be an exception.

She sat down in a nearby chair at the head of a long table while the puppet master sat adjacent to her. They were silent for a long while until she finally composed her tears to be able to speak.

"I really messed up... I think Gaara might be hating my guts right now..." She sniffed again all while inwardly scolding herself for her strong feelings. Ninjas were supposed to have a great control over their emotions, and she certainly failed in that category.

"What do you mean Gaara hates you? I don't think he could hate you even if you tried to get him to." Kankuro patted her back while scouring his mind for all the ways to ease a woman's troubles. Yet the question itched at him; what could have happened between her and Gaara that would have caused her to cry? As if on cue, the color drained from his face. "Did he hurt you?" His voice darkened considerably causing the kunoichi to look at him in shock.

"No! No no! Nothing like that!" She waved her arms in front of herself excitedly. "No... I kind of did something a little bit out of line. Too personal perhaps... he didn't exactly like it." She began to sulk. "I...I think I crossed a boundary with him. As a medical nin I have no qualms about touching people, and I do it without thinking. I touched him today, and I feel it might have triggered something. He seemed very upset..." She left out some key details obviously. She didn't want Kankuro to know that the upset was plainly one of a sexual nature, and if she did tell him she was pretty sure what his solution would be regardless of how she felt about his brother. Gaara was just an attractive friend. It's okay to think your friends are attractive right?

"I see what happened. Don't blame yourself Sakura, it's not your fault." A sly grin started to form on Kankuro's face and she felt worried that he might know something. "Gaara's been... in a 'mood' lately. He's got a crush on some chick right now, and I'm sure being around other pretty girls isn't helping him much. I mean, you're stunning so I wouldn't be surprised if it messed with him a bit when you touched him." He started to chuckle before continuing. "He doesn't understand these feelings yet cause he's never freaking had them! Late bloomer I guess."

"To be honest I'm surprised he hasn't gotten feelings like that or even had been forced to go through with something sexual. We had to do it in our village in preparation for certain missions, and for climbing in rank." Sakura cringed at the thought.

Yes it was true; in able to become a jonin you had to have training in sexual conduct, and her first time was not very pleasant. The nameless ninja had been rough with her, and it had been embarrassing, she but it was part of the job so she did it with pride.

'It's so that you don't find attachment in it, but I suppose I still don't like to sleep around...I still find it too personal.' She mused to herself. Yet sometimes she wished she could be a bit more 'relaxed' like Ino. Perhaps it was time she reconsidered the idea of having sex outside of a romantic relationship.

"Gaara wasn't meant for missions like that so he was never trained. He was seen merely as a human weapon nothing more..." The puppet master grimaced at this while Sakura's heart sank. "Maybe that's another reason why it's a problem right now... he's trying so hard to relate to his peers while also sharing their feelings. A feeling of closeness like that is so foreign it's probably throwing a wrench into his whole 'unity' plan." He threw his hands in the air before kicking back bitterly in his chair to rest his feet on the table.

"Well, how should I fix this? I don't even know where to begin!" The kunoichi groaned before placing her head on the table.

"Well did he say anything specific after this happened?" Kankuro pressed.

"...He said he didn't trust himself...then he left..." Feeling defeated she rolled her head on the table so she could look at the older brother. "I made him feel bad...now I feel bad..."

"Hey! Don't say that, it's gonna be ok! I swear this will blow over. Listen, I'll talk to him. We already had a talk about this stuff so another conversation shouldn't hurt now that there's some further development." He paused for a moment. A strange look appeared on his face. "Do you find him... suitable at all?"

On cue she stiffened.

"Suitable?" She almost squeaked.

"Yeah... like do you find him attractive?" He removed his hood to scratch lightly at his hair. "You've had training right? I think he trusts you, maybe you could-"

"Are you trying to ask me to sleep with your brother, also known as the Kazekage?" Sakura felt a glare coming on. This sand nin had better tread lightly.

Kankuro paled.

"I mean it's just a request not a demand. It's completely up to you, and it's your body. I just think it might finally break that last wall in him. He'll have more in common with the average human being, ya know?" The puppet master had held her eyes respectfully for a moment before turning away. "I'm sorry that was a rude request."

"I'll try." She responded mechanically.

He did a double take. Half of him was ecstatic while the other half was completely blown away.

"Sakura, are you really sure you want to-"

"I'll be fine. It's obvious that he's already interested so I might as well do something that will help him further himself as a person, and as a ninja." She was all business. Suddenly any sort of lewd thought she might have had for the redhead before now had a reason to be validated rather than her feeling guilty about it. Now it has become a mission. "When do you want me to start?"

"Uh... probably immediately? I mean... he's still new he'll need some coaxing. God I can't believe I'm saying this about my brother like he's some sort of breeding stud stallion or pedigree dog." The puppet master cringed again at himself. However, it didn't last long before a large grin covered his face. "I'm gonna tease him so bad when it's all over."

"No you won't! You won't reveal that you had a hand in this at all. It'll break his heart." Sakura was feeling oddly protective of her new conquest. "I'll say that I simply found him attractive, nothing further than that."

"Alright then. I'll say nothing. However, I think tonight you should try catching him off guard. Try to 'apologize' for earlier or something. Get a conversation going perhaps." Kankuro nodded sagely to himself.

"Sounds good. You should still talk to him though to try to make sense of things." The kunoichi finally stood from her chair. "I'll approach him tonight then, try some flirting tactics, and maybe give him a clear idea of the fact that I am 'interested'. That might give him more confidence to make a move."

They nodded to each other before shaking on it.

"Good luck." The puppeteer snickered.

"Yeah, you too." Sakura smirked back.

"So, I saw Sakura today. She seemed pretty upset." Kankuro looked at his nails nonchalantly, waiting for his brother's predictable stiffened reaction.

"What did she say?" Gaara spoke quietly. He never lifted his eyes from the random city documents in front of him. It was obvious in his nearly hunched position at his desk that he was on the defense, Kankuro might have to tread carefully with the redhead today.

"She said she touched you, and you bolted." The puppeteer waited for a response that never came, so he continued. "She said she felt bad for triggering you like that, but she also said that she wished you would have stayed."

That got Gaara's attention. He remained quiet, but his stature had straightened considerably. 'Oh ho ho he's got it bad for her.' Kankuro inwardly snickered.

"So Sakura is miss naughty nurse huh? To be honest I never would have thought you would go for her, but she is very beautiful I gotta say you have good taste. You're a lucky guy." The puppet master grinned outwardly.

"It's not like that... it's one sided." The young kazekage sulked. Suddenly everything slightly lost color in the room. "It is obvious that it will go nowhere..."

"I don't think so, Gaara. I've never seen a girl cry like that for me, and when we had our conversation she was really eager to fix things with you." Kankuro replied slyly. "She wants to kiss and make up. So if you see her later, instead of running away you should maybe let her apologize. I'm sure it'll make you feel better too."

Gaara was about to give him a piece of his mind when he realized Kankuro was walking towards the door.

"If that woman touched me I'd turn to melted butter too. In fact I think I have when she's healed me in the past. Don't be ashamed of feeling like that; she already knows she has that effect." He turned around for one last word, finding a slightly blushing kazekage looking back at him. "So if she touches you again lean into it instead of away. She knows what she's doing so unless she is a really cruel person, which we both know she's not, she's going to be doing it on purpose. I think we all know what that purpose is." With that said he waved casually, and left the room. Leaving Gaara to his many confusing thoughts.

"She can't like me in that way... there's just no way..." He went back to fumbling with his paperwork finding it much harder to concentrate than before.

AN: Just a pre warning to anyone who has never read my work before. I am a smutmonger and the next chapter is going to be rough. So any of our sweet little beebs in the audience please run away now or be scarred for life lmao

But no no joke I don't play when it comes to smut, I am absolutely shameless. However I do try to keep some emotional attachment involved since that's my jam too. Anywho pre-warning has been made ;)


	4. Chapter 4

**AN: Okay little beebs it's time for bed. ''Tis the adults time to play muahahaha! (I.E. this is going to be one of those smut chapters I've warned you all about. So read at your own risk) And so it begins...**

It was dark outside, and the spring monsoon was just beginning. He realized it would be raining heavily for a couple of weeks, and the fact that his sand grew more difficult to move when wet bothered him slightly.

Yet the rain was peaceful with its lukewarm temperature, lulling patter on the window, and pleasant fresh smell. Just like everything else in Suna the rain was warm so getting caught in it was not really a bad experience with the exception of clinging wet clothing. He wanted to go out and enjoy the rain, but tonight he still had work to do. The current break of watching out the large windows was sufficient for now.

A soft rapping noise demanded his attention, and without really thinking he beckoned the visitor in.

"Good evening, Gaara."

He froze at the sound of a feminine voice, knowing exactly who the visitor was now without turning around.

"Good evening, Sakura. What can I do for you?" The redhead finally faced her, his white robes fluttering slightly as he did so.

He didn't mean to do it, but by nature his eyes focused on her body going from her face then down, and then back up again. He cursed himself for instinctually sizing her up. However, she seemed to smile at this. Perhaps he was being too harsh on himself.

"I wanted to see how you were doing. I'm really sorry about earlier... I forget sometimes that I'm a woman, and you're a man." The kunoichi laughed lightly, and the redhead felt himself ease. "However, its refreshing to be reminded sometimes."

"I'm sorry, what do you mean by refreshing?" Gaara clamped up again. He cursed his mind, and body for being so sensitive to every word this woman spoke. She took slow steps forward until she stood right in front of his desk. The piece of furniture seemed to be the only thing separating them.

"I mean I'm flattered you find me attractive. Coming from such a handsome, and respectable man I find it to be a great compliment." She sat down in the chair in front of his desk; lifting one long creamy leg to cross it over the other seductively. When his answer just seemed to be nothing but disbelief she frowned. "Or I could be completely wrong, and in actuality you find me disgusting?"

'You fucked up.' He inwardly berated himself.

"No you're very beautiful, I just... I don't have any-... I haven't..." The young kazekage wanted nothing more than to punch himself in the face. The amount of stumbling, and stuttering was beginning to kill any possible mood. Yet even though he felt like an idiot, the woman seemed to find it amusing.

"Oh my god you're so cute. You had better stop doing that or some girl will just snatch you right up!" Sakura began to giggle with heart. "I might even be that girl! Just keep blushing, and stuttering Gaara. This is just too innocent." She began to laugh a little harder causing the redhead to literally match his cheeks to his hair. He didn't know what to say or do in that moment, and as a result he began to recoil.

Sakura's laughter stopped when she noticed.

"Hey... please don't be afraid of me... I'm not going to hurt you, Gaara." She stood up slowly, and walked over to him as if she were approaching an injured animal. She reached out to touch his hand gingerly, and he pulled it back as if her touch burned. "It's ok, I'm not trying to mess with you. No teasing I swear."

'I'm a monster. Can't you see that?' He thought. He was afraid of everything in this moment, and fear was not something he felt frequently.

"I don't understand, what is it that you want?" Gaara bit harshly. He was so confused. Why did she want to touch him? She smiled warmly at him as if it would ease him.

It worked.

"I'm sorry for making you feel bad earlier. Can I make it up to you?" She reached forward again to firmly grab his hand. He didn't lash back, but he didn't go with it either. He simply stood there completely frozen. She placed his hand on her waist then moved in close to 'hug' him. "You can embrace me back, it's ok."

With a shaking breath the young kazekage brought up his other hand to firmly grip both sides of her waist. His head felt fuzzy, and the butterflies in his stomach just wouldn't quit. That familiar burning, and tingling sensation filled his core again. Suddenly he wanted nothing more than for her to touch him everywhere. 'Calm down, calm down, calm down!' He mentally berated himself.

Sakura moved her arms up around his neck then stared deeply into him. It was so intense that the urge to look away was too strong, and he succumbed to it bashfully. He then accidentally tightened his grip on her as she planted a feather soft kiss to his burning cheek.

Gaara inhaled sharply.

"What...are you..."

"I'm apologizing for making you feel like the bad guy, when I too can have those same dark cravings." The kunoichi whispered into his ear; her embrace was pleasantly tight. "You can experiment on me if you're feeling curious."

The redhead exhaled even more sharply than he had originally inhaled. His body felt like literal flames were licking his skin. He was almost at the edge of abandoning everything in favor of laying her down on the hard floor to take her like he had dreamed about. Instead his body shook like the nervous wreck he really was; it had betrayed him. Yet, this didn't bother her in the least.

"You are just too sweet." Sakura nearly purred. "So polite. I appreciate that, however I hope you don't mind if I make some decisions for you?"

'Oh my god it's happening.' He was in complete disbelief. This had to be a dream. Had he fallen asleep? Had his body finally given out on him after years of sleepless fatigue? The fingers lightly entwining themselves in his hair sending shivers down his spine told him 'no'.

He finally had to make a move. He had to give his consent or else this wasn't going to happen like he so badly wanted it to. Damnit he wanted it to happen, and he wanted it to happen right this very second.

"I...don't mind..." Gaara nearly panted the words with anticipation. With a smirk she leaned in to kiss him gently on the lips, and he returned it with even more eagerness.

Everything exploded in his head at that moment. She was so soft, and tasted so sweet. Her mouth parted for him and he finally allowed himself to be a bit more adventurous. Their tongues met for a moment, and slid against each other sending shivers down his spine. He bit down lightly to tug at her lip and she moaned delightfully. He felt a greedy need for more of her, and his hands roamed her frame subconsciously.

Sakura was so petite. The fact that she could fit so well in his arms made him even more excited. A feeling of grabbing her to throw her around into any position he wanted ran through him, but he buried it back down finding it too soon. When she moaned again he accidentally pushed her into the desk.

'Damnit that was too rough, she'll shy away now for sure...' He broke the kiss to look away, but he still had a good grip on her. 'You're an idiot.'

"I'm sorry, that was too much. I hope I didn't hurt you..." The redhead attempted to compose himself. "We can...stop...I'll understand if you don't wa-"

She placed a finger on his lips, and he almost melted.

"I like your eagerness, Gaara. It's very sexy so please don't back out on me now." The kunoichi leaned in to kiss his neck causing him to nearly growl in want. Suddenly everything came rushing back full force, and he began lifting her up onto the desk. She stiffened for a second, but then relaxed to continue her necking torture on him. She bit down firmly then dragged her teeth down his jugular. He moaned loudly for her in response.

Every time she did that it sent waves through every sensitive part of his body; igniting them with a pleasurable fire. How was this real? Is this how it always felt?

It felt good, way too good. Like he might die or burn up at any moment from the amount of tingles fluttering through his skin and nerves. He was hard, on fire, and his control over his mind was slipping. Logic and reason were starting to be replaced by instinct and chaos.

Gripping hard at her hips he pulled her to him, but stopped as soon as their pelvises touched. Was it too far? Was this too much? He was stuck, he didn't know how to do this.

Apparently he had been doing it right. She almost growled at him for halting their activity.

"Don't make a lady wait. It's rude." She kissed him hard, and before he could even catch up she had bit down on his lip.

"Forgive me I'm new at this." He spoke in between kisses and bitten lips. She laughed before grinding their hips together becoming instantly pleased by his reaction.

'This doesn't make sense! How does it keep getting better?!'

He moaned even louder than before. The pressure on his pelvis was so welcome that he sighed with relief, but then nearly whined when the knee-weakening pleasure came flooding through him like a broken dam. Breathy snickers brought his focus back to her.

"That's it, Gaara. You're doing so good." Sakura rolled against him again, and he groaned in ecstasy. Her praising him for this was not helping at all, in fact his blood flowed with more heat the more she talked him up.

"Th-thanks..." He blushed. For all this heated desire he still had it in him to blush like a shy little boy. When she moved against him again he moaned loudly and rested his forehead on her shoulder. He was going to die, there was no way he could feel this good without paying for it with his life.

"It's almost like you haven't felt this in a while." The kunoichi reached down between them, and under the fabric of his robes before skillfully undoing his belt and pants.

He froze again, and he didn't know if it was out of fear or anticipation. He wanted her to do it, but he also was afraid of what would happen when she did. Sliding her lithe fingers past his waistband she finally grabbed hold of the thing that needed the attention the most. He practically whimpered in response.

"When was the last time you got off ?" She giggled then pumped her hand. The tidal wave had finally started, and his eyes almost rolled back. He moved into her palm automatically; unable to control himself any longer. She snickered at his eagerness before cooing into his ear about how 'good' he was. He had to shake his head to get the blood back to his brain in able to answer her question.

"Y...ye...years..." Gaara stuttered out finally, receiving a deadpan look from Sakura. She halted everything, and he groaned painfully.

'No no no no no...' His insides churned at the absent feeling, and he almost cried.

"Years?! How many years?!" The kunoichi was dumbfounded. He looked at her through lidded eyes before blushing. He was being strangely honest with her.

It was probably because he wanted to just get her hands back on him again...

"Before the chunin exams... that was the last and only time..." He breathed harshly as he tried to decipher her look. It seemed to be almost pity but he wasn't sure.

"Why?"

To be honest he didn't know. Part of him felt dirty doing it that one single time, and he was a rather fucked up person back then. So it made zero sense for him to see it as something almost disgusting.

"I don't really know..." His temperature was leveling out but he was still ready and pulsing in her hand. 'This is so cruel...please Sakura... I don't want to have to beg for this...' He inwardly cursed himself for being so weak.

"Do you remember how it even felt?" She blinked at him then him at her. He remembered a rush, but that was about it.

He remembered the smell of blood, an overwhelming yet painful sensation from his groin, headiness, and a leftover mess of blood and semen. However it was foggy, and it was almost as if his brain didn't care to remember it. He came back to her question.

"Not really..." Now Gaara was embarrassed. Not only did he not know how it felt to be with a woman, but he couldn't remember clearly what it even felt like to do it to himself. He didn't want her to see him so stupidly inexperienced. Luckily she didn't seem to think like he did.

"It's ok, honey. Just don't scream when it happens alright? We don't want anyone coming in thinking I'm killing you, and getting an eyeful." With a giggle his fears were instantly banished. She smiled and began moving her delicate hand again. He started thanking various gods for just being brought back to this pleasurable moment. He moaned again ecstatically. "Ssssshh someone might hear you." She whispered and giggled at the same time.

The last time this happened Gaara knew it didn't feel this good. He wasn't as absorbed in the moment as he was now. There wasn't a beautiful woman with pink hair siting in front of him with her swollen lips, lust filled gaze, and beckoning voice all while pumping him firmly. No this was incredible; something that he had definitely been missing out on. He didn't want it to stop.

Yet the feeling just kept building and building and building. He couldn't remember if there was a stop to this feeling or not, but he felt that right now it was not a feeling that would just 'stop' abruptly. No if anything he was going to overflow, and his body was begging him to do so.

No matter how much noise Gaara made the feeling just kept getting better, so he got louder in response. Sakura snickered, and held her other hand over his panting, whining, and growling mouth. 'What's happening to me?' He felt so close to an edge, he knew he was going to fall at any moment or that this woman was going to rip him down with her. He wanted her to tear him to bloody shreds with her sinful hands. Every stroke of her hand along his length was too much to handle, and he began to tremble as a result.

"You're so close huh? C'mon, you can get there...come for me Gaara." The kunoichi purred one last time in his ear before pushing him over that final cliff by picking up her speed. He gripped at her shoulders for balance as he nearly screamed against her hand. His body broke out into a sweat as wave after wave of vibrations went through him from head to toe. He rocked his hips against her fast palm finally pulsing out whatever was building inside of him. He felt a pleasurable gushing come out of him in pulses, and he continued to cry out in white hot ecstasy. She finally slowed to a stop, and he leaned against her all while praying that he didn't accidentally die from this. He was panting so hard just to try to keep up with his rabbit heart. 'What just happened?! Did I really...did I actually...?'

He came around only when he heard her giggling, and cooing at him gently. "Oh you did so well. You did such a good job. I'm so proud of you, Gaara." Sakura was too good to him. He nuzzled against her instinctively, and she kissed his head in response. It was so gentle.

'What is this?!' Gaara was confused with the affection she was giving him. What would be the point if she didn't get anything out of it?

He felt her lean over to grab at some tissues from the tissue box. He had never really had a use for it, but considered it polite to have one there for his guests or business associates. When she reached back down to clean him up he realized that they now held a whole new purpose. He blushed when he saw the residue on her hands.

"I'm very sorry..." The redhead bit his lip with worry. 'Did I mess this up? Was I supposed to stop before this happened? Is this disgusting to her?' A million questions flew by him before she disrupted his thoughts.

"You're apologizing...for cumming on my hands?" Sakura blinked in surprise. Something was ticking away in her brain, and he couldn't decipher what it could be. He merely nodded quietly in response.

"That's...really sweet of you, but it's going to happen every time so I wouldn't worry about it." She started with a snicker that led to a full laugh. "Oh I hate the fact that I'm going to be the one to ruin you, but I love it too you know?"

"I don't understand..." Gaara blushed further and glanced away. He clamped up when he felt her lips touch the corner of his mouth.

"Oh, I'm sorry. You thought we were done?" The kunoichi pulled his hips back to meet her own, and he gasped. "So selfish, Gaara. I have needs too. You can't just go and leave a lady wanting right?"

An audible gulp was heard. He had no clue where to even begin...

"Lord Kazekage! A large scorpion has entered the city limits!" A guard outside of his office yelled while also rapping at the door.

That was certainly not how he wanted to start this.

"I suppose you are the only exception. You can pay me back later then." She smirked at him while he cringed at the situation.

"I apologize." Disappointment began to set in while his heart seemed to sink. He didn't want to be disrespectful to her after all she had just done for him, but he was a village leader and the village was a priority.

Gaara started to look away when she pulled him back in like a moth the the flame. Sakura eyed him with a serious gaze before allowing the vixen inside of her to peak through.

"Oh don't worry. I'll come find you again later." Before he could return a statement she placed a long yet loving kiss to his parted lips. His eyes fluttered shut as he leaned into her all the while growing dizzy with his new found feelings. When the pounding at the door wouldn't desist she gave a groan before breaking the kiss to give him a playful shove. He blinked at her owlishly while she smirked. "Go , you have a rather large insect to slay."

He had already forgotten all about it even with the incessant knocking and shouting at the door. 'What sort of art does this woman possess when she can bend reality for me over a mere kiss?' He shook his head at himself before giving her a stern nod.

She was giggling as he left obviously finding his silence humorous. He prayed the guard didn't notice his flushed face as he rushed past.

AN: GURL YAAAAAAAAAAASSSSS. Oh this chapter was fabulous for me, was it good for you? ;)

Review and prepare for a tidal wave in the next chapter!


	5. Chapter 5

Disgusting was a strong word for him, but that's how he truly felt about the situation.

Even in the rain, Gaara couldn't rid himself of the disgusting ooze that had covered him when he crushed that behemoth of a scorpion.

"Why did I have to use sand coffin? Why couldn't I have just used kenjutsu or bōjutsu?" The redhead was nearly stomping through the wet city streets as Kankuro continued to laugh at the situation. If he hadn't also been covered in the mucus-like substance Gaara would have punched him, but he let it slide as he believed his brother was trying to make light of the situation. Comedic relief at its finest.

"So! Did you end up talking to Sakura?" The puppet master spoke with a poorly hidden glee.

The young Kazekage stopped in his tracks. As he had found out earlier he definitely had a difficult time hiding his feelings about this, and Kankuro could always see right through him anyways. So was it worth even trying to form a lie?

"Hey... is everything okay?" The redhead looked up to see his brother staring at him in worry. It was better to give him nice news about his life and activities rather than keep him in the dark worrying on whether he was emotionally stable. Gaara finally released a breath he had been holding for some time.

"I'm fine; everything is fine... and yes I did end up talking to Sakura..." The young Kazekage walked past the puppet master in an attempt to hide his now flushing face. However, the older brother saw this as a very tasty bait rather than just a mere brush off.

"Oh ho! And how did it go? Did you ask her out?" Kankuro was practically jumping with excitement.

Gaara stopped again to feel the blood drain from his face. 'Oh no I never got to ask her for a date! She must think I'm terribly rude...'

"Well it's obvious by your stance that you didn't." The older brother clicked his tongue. "Did you guys at least talk about relationships or a possible romance?"

"We made out."

"Well that's good Gaara, good to know you're getting to know her and- wait. Did you say you made out?" Suddenly he was grabbing Gaara by the shoulders. "You made out?! Just made out or was there more?!"

"...I'd rather not say." The young Kazekage blushed at the memory, and then even further at the thought that she had promised to find him later for round 2.

"Oh my god! How many bases did you reach?!" He started shaking the younger in disbelief when finally the redhead smacked his hands away.

"I don't understand, what do you mean by bases?" He snapped. He was growing more unsettled by the grin that was forming on his older brother's face.

"First base is making out, second base is heavy petting, third base is oral, and a home run is kind of self explanatory." He was beginning to bounce with excitement.

'So there are steps to this...' Gaara mused to himself, and rolled the options around in his head before Kankuro smacked him impatiently.

"...I suppose it would be second base then." The young Kazekage began trekking again towards his home in the hope of a hot shower, but the puppeteer quickly caught up to him.

"Did you touch her or did she touch you? Are you planning on going any further with her? Do you want to go further? How was it?!" Kankuro was so eager, and Gaara was just so tired.

"She touched me, I might go further, I'd like to go further, and it was great thanks for asking." The redhead breathed a sigh of annoyance after his confession. He was embarrassed over this whole ordeal, and his brother was making such a huge deal of it. Yet, he was glad he had someone to talk to as this was strangely new, and the steps were unknown to him.

'Steps?'

"Kankuro...you said there were bases...if I'm on the second one how do I go about doing the third? I don't really know what you mean by ora-"

"Tsh tsh ssshh!" Kankuro shushed him and pulled him into a shadowy alleyway. "Don't talk so loudly about it. What your asking is still considered more crude than normal sex. You don't want to go around announcing that your going to go down on someone!" He began shaking his brother by the shoulders for emphasis, and once again Gaara swatted him away.

"What does 'go down on' mean?! You're not making sense!" He almost stamped his foot in irritation. 'It shouldn't be this difficult to get information.'

"Ugh I've never had to explain this before..." For the first time in years Gaara witnessed Kankuro blush. He waited for a moment to roll around whatever thought he was going to project in his head, and the younger could see his gears ticking away. "It's when you... use your mouth... instead of your dick or your hand..."

They blinked at each other for a moment before the young Kazekage pried further.

"Girls enjoy this?" His innocence made his brother's smile come back in full force.

"If you're good at it they fucking love it." He leaned against the wall chuckling. The redhead had to find out more about this.

"How do you get 'good' at it? Is there a technique or...?" He stopped mid sentence as he visualized just what he had to do. He bit his knuckle anxiously.

"Do you know what a clitoris is?" Kankuro wasted no time. It was straight to business now if he were to help his brother succeed with women. Yet he couldn't help but grin when the word 'clitoris' made the younger's hairs bristle.

"Y-yes I know what it is!" Gaara's voice nearly cracked with the tension. Anatomy was not lost on him at the very least as he did in fact read. That, and he paid close attention during medical classes.

"Okay. Touch her legs and the area around the clit until she's begging you for it. Then go in for the kill and lick that sucker, then you should be golden." The puppeteer spoke with a seriousness that was uncommon for him, and that made the redhead really ingest everything he was saying.

"That... is very crude. I apologize for making you explain that to me." Gaara looked to the side shamefully before gazing back at his now laughing brother.

"Dude don't sweat it! You don't think I do it too? It's not really a big deal it's just not really a casual conversation topic." He laughed a little louder before smacking his little brother lovingly on the back. "Just get creative and you'll be fine. Pay attention to her and how she reacts. That's all there is to it!"

The young Kazekage smiled at his brother. He felt much more at ease, and more confident in his game plan. When Sakura came around he was going to take the reigns and really show her what he was made of.

She knocked on the door again. He hadn't answered, but she was certain she had heard him and Kankuro chatting as they passed her room to go their own. It had been ten minutes of knocking and waiting. Was he trying to avoid her?

It had taken Sakura a while to re-muster up the courage to approach him once again. Truth be told she had a hard time playing her dominant role, but she also thoroughly enjoyed every tiny squirm she got from him. He was adorable, and she did in fact want to pick up where they left off. She wanted to know what other cute things he could do in the heat of passion.

"Fuck it I'm done waiting." She cursed outwardly before turning the knob on his door; surprisingly finding it was unlocked.

The kunoichi gently closed the door behind her before truly exploring. The room had tan stone walls, stone floors with blue rugs, and basic wooden furniture. The ceiling was rounded but also had several ceiling windows displaying the pouring rain against the glass. Everything seemed to be lit by vintage oil lamps.

For a Kazekage he tended to keep things rather simple than luxurious. She noticed a basic desk, a round coffee table, several bookcases, a decent sized goldenrod couch that could maybe fit four people, a matching arm chair just kitty corner from it with a thick blue blanket draping the back...

"Wait a minute." Sakura looked high and low around the room, and was shocked to find that there was no bed present. Then it hit her that he didn't sleep. That was definitely something foreign to her, and yet she felt terrible that he couldn't have that time of rest like everyone else. She wished he could sleep. She also wished he had a nice big bed for her to break in with him. The kunoichi sighed. "Well...that's going to make things a tad less comfortable..."

Wandering around she began to realize that he was truly not here. She sighed at the thought of him being out for the night.

'Well I suppose I could read some of his books...' she snagged what seemed to be a book on taijutsu before settling down on the couch.

The rain was pounding heavily on the window, and it washed out any noises that could have been made inside the room. The thunder only added to this. She sighed wishing that Gaara was here to actually test her theory.

As if her wish was granted another door that she had originally thought was a closet had opened to allow out a gracious amount of steam. The redhead's chest was glistening with fresh water, and a towel hung dangerously around his hips. 'He was in the shower. Makes sense now.'

She stared at him realizing just how stunning he truly was. His muscles were defined and lean. His hair was wet and shiny. His eyes glowed in the incandescent light of the room. He was truly beautiful, and the kunoichi found herself speechless. As she straightened she gave her position away, and the beautiful man froze like an alerted deer as his eyes made contact with her. He obviously wasn't expecting her so soon...

"I...I would have dressed... had I known you were here..." Gaara shuffled about the room looking for garments he could possibly wear.

'Oh no you don't!'

Sakura felt that dominant vixen overtake her once again as she lifted herself off the couch to approach him. He noticed this and stopped his task. He eyed her carefully as she approached him in a sultry way.

"I don't want you to get dressed." As she reached him she let her finger tips glide down his damp chest. He felt like wet marble beneath her hands; so smooth and cool. His breath hitched when her fingers made contact with him, and she could feel his rapid heart beneath her palms. "You're already 'dressed' for the occasion. In fact you make me feel as if I over-dressed tonight."

At the moment she was only wearing a t-shirt and shorts, but if she wanted to be on his level she'd have to sport only a towel. He trailed his eyes down her frame at any rate still finding her to be satisfactory. She knew that he wanted her clothes gone just as much as she did.

As she wrapped her arms around his neck he looked away yet again; bashful as always.

"So embarrassed. You're so cute, Gaara." She kissed him gently before reaching to pull off her top. As slowly as she could she revealed that she wasn't wearing a bra, and that all of her skin was bare for him to see and touch. His hard breathing was enough to let her know she had made an impact. His muscles tensed everywhere she had made contact with him as if he were a snake coiling up to strike. "There. Now you don't have to be embarrassed over showing me some skin." She giggled at his rosy cheeks.

"I think what you are showing me is far more intense than what I have shown you." He tried to look everywhere that wasn't her breasts. Even to the bitter end he was still a gentleman. She giggled before guiding his hands to her sides before running them over her breasts. His breath hitched as his hands smoothed over her soft mounds, and his breathing became even more strained. He finally looked down at where his hands were and he subconsciously licked his lips. She had him trapped in her erotic web.

"Well if it's a contest then..." she slipped her fingers around the towel, and gripped it tightly. He exhaled sharply at the feeling. "You should show me a little more right?"

Sakura waited as she gauged his reaction. He seemed calm enough, but his ever reddened blush and bated breath gave him away. She snickered before whispering in his ear.

"You show me yours, and I'll show you mine."

Gaara swallowed hard at her comment making her more than pleased. She knew he was scared, but she was going to savor his little virgin act for as long as she could. It wasn't often that one got to open someone up like this, and it was invigorating.

"Do you want me to take your virginity tonight?" She kissed his neck and his hands immediately gripped at her waist. He groaned at the feeling of her hot mouth sucking away at his jugular. "Do you want me to ride you? I won't shame you for wanting that." She giggled at how nasty it sounded.

"N-n-no." The redhead put her at arms length, and she felt everything sour.

'He's not ready for that you moron.' She inwardly cursed herself for moving too fast for him. His eyes trailed up and down her form greedily before he shook his head in an attempt to get the blood flowing back to his brain.

"I mean... yes I want that... but not right now..." He blinked at her for a moment, and she felt hope. Then he swallowed hard before propositioning her. "I'd prefer... if we focused on you... if you don't mind?"

'Oh. Oh that's unexpected.' She was so used to men wanting to get off at every moment of the day that for a man to ignore his needs in favor of her own made her heart swell in a way she hadn't wanted it to. She did not want to fall in love with him, and he was unfortunately making all the right moves. 'Damnit. Why couldn't you have just stayed cute and clueless?'

"What exactly are we planning? Or are you going to surprise me?" She moved in despite his arms position on her shoulders. He relaxed his grip to allow her to get close to him. "You know, going all the way is still a good time for both of us please remember that."

The redhead blushed again, and she felt her doubts fall away.

"So show me a trick, Gaara. You are aiming to please, and I am aiming to have a good time." She pulled him by his towel and pushed him on the couch. He tensed for a moment before furrowing his non-existent brows. "Oh no, did I upset you? I didn't realize you were trying to be the dominant one..."

'C'mon Gaara. Take the bait, take the lead.'

Without warning he snagged her wrist and pulled her down with him onto the couch. She squealed as he wrestled her into position beneath him and pinned her arms. He froze again, obviously questioning whether he was taking things too far. He glanced at her frame once more before looking back into her eyes as if to ask 'is this okay?'

Sakura was not up for breaks in their little game. When she felt something was right she went in for it. She didn't ask questions or wait around; she was quick and efficient. The kunoichi had to let him know that anything he did to her tonight was going to be okay with her.

"Don't quit on me now!" She wrestled playfully against his hands. "I already told you that you could fuck me if you wanted to. If that's not a literal invitation for you to push the boundaries than you are an idiot."

'Come on! Get mad! Get that strength going through you! Chyaaa!' Her inner cheerleader shouted.

"An idiot?" Gaara looked at her in disbelief, but it only fueled her flames.

"Prove to me that you're not an idiot, Gaara." Sakura growled out while pushing at his restraining hands, and to her delight he pressed down harder into the cushions. He didn't look too happy, but he was still definitely in the mood. It showed when he crashed his lips against her own to claim her like an animal.

The redhead was showing his dominance finally, and moved to nibbling at her neck. She moaned, and he let go of her hands in favor of grabbing at her hips and legs. He held her hips against his own and rocked them firmly to get a needy groan out of both of them. Grinding himself against her she whimpered his name and felt him shiver. She'd have to remember to do that again.

He was panting, and groaning in her ear. She wrapped her arms around his neck, and played with his minky wet hair. He was hard against her making her wish the towel and her shorts were gone, but even as one of her hands went to reach the offending cover he still managed to move her hand away. She growled impatiently at this, and he looked at her with a smirk.

"Patience is a virtue." The redhead kissed her teasingly and she broke it with a huff.

'God! What is his game plan?! That cruel son of a-'

The kunoichi's thoughts were broken as she felt one of his hands grip at her waist band. She lifted her hips to allow him to slip them off with ease, and he froze once again when he found that she wasn't wearing anything underneath them; nervously forgetting his initial thought. 'As adorable as this is I'm not waiting for him to get over the fact that I have a vagina...'

"You're making me self conscious when you stare like that." She went to coyly cover herself and feigned embarrassment. In her effort to 'cover' herself she had managed to press her breasts together with her arms, and brought up her knees in a seductive way. He eyed her almost hungrily. "Is my body offensive?"

"Ah...no. No! You're stunning actually..." Gaara blushed harder than he had before. He ran his hands up and down her curves in appreciation. She arched her back with every trace of her frame while bringing her legs back down on either side of him. He continued to smooth his hands over her creamy skin now even further down her hips and thighs before returning upwards. He seemed to be mesmerized by the feeling of her skin under his palms. "It's unreal...how beautiful you are...I hope that if I ever do sleep...I dream of you..."

'Oh no. Oh no oh no oh no! That's the most romantic thing anyone has ever said to me... well at least from an insomniacs standpoint...' Sakura felt herself digging her own grave. This man would be the death of her if he kept up such charms. His eyes were so intense when he said it. As if at this moment his world revolved around her. She knew she was blushing, and she knew he could see it too. Quickly she turned away to look across the room; finding his eyes too hypnotizing to look at.

In her distraction she hadn't noticed that he lowered his head to her chest until she felt his soft lips against her breasts. She gasped at the feeling of his tongue dragging across her sensitive skin. The kunoichi arched her back, and he gripped the center of her waist possessively while continuing to trail down her chest.

The redhead began working with his other hand up her thigh stroking it in a way that made her skin tingle. The tips of his fingers worked in feathery strokes teasing their way upward. Sakura sighed in a high register when his hand finally made it close to her center. However, he kept avoiding the area as if there was a purpose to it.

'Is he trying to make me beg for it?! That cheeky brat!'

As much as she hated being teased she did appreciate the final outcome. She would let it slide this time.

"Gaara...don't make me...beg..." She whined erotically deciding to play at his little game, as getting off was starting to become a top priority now. He was kissing right above her naval when she felt him smirk against her skin.

"If you insist..." Gaara went back to his previous task of trailing kisses down her abdomen before nipping at her hip.

"Ah! Gaara!" She bucked lightly at the sensation, and gained a chuckle from him. Just as Sakura was about to berate him for his mischief she felt him adjust the arm stroking her thigh to go up and underneath it. With her thigh resting on his shoulder and his mouth kissing at her hip she finally realized what his plan truly was.

She hadn't done this act with anyone yet, and this sweet little virgin doll was going to break that wall for her.

'He can't do that! This is supposed to be about training him in, not me!' She was going to have to pretend on this one. He couldn't know that she hadn't done this before.

Yet her nerves grated again as the hand on her waist circled under and around her other leg. It slinked it's way back up to grab her backside firmly while he focused on kissing her inner thigh. His mouth was hot against her tender skin, and she mewled with anticipation. She prayed that this would go well, and not end horribly or unsatisfactory.

Suddenly she felt Gaara breathe hotly against her core and she gasped at the shock of it. Yet it was nothing compared to the burning wet feeling of his tongue as he finally lapped at her.

"Oh my god." The kunoichi rolled through her body at the feeling of him, and his firm hold of her legs and butt were reassuring as well as pleasurable. Her hands fisted into his hair almost on instinct when he made circles with his clever tongue. She sighed, panted, and whimpered as the feeling burned from her eyelids to the soles of her feet.

Every time a pleasurable wave went through her she would arch and grip firmly at his minky red hair. A few times she would feel him smile against her folds, and at others he responded by squeezing the hand resting on her backside. Either action sent a reaction, which sent another reaction, lather, rinse, and repeat.

It didn't take long for her to turn into a panting mess. Sweat started to roll down her temple, and her voice was growing hoarse with her heavy breathing and whining. It was the most incredible thing she had experienced sexually up until this point, and she never would have dreamed it would be Gaara giving it to her.

Her body began betraying her as she continuously rolled her hips at the pleasure and mewled loudly; unable to find a break in the waves of ecstasy. He gripped her tighter to him as he firmly licked and sucked at her with a dedicated effort.

She cursed. She cried out his name. She begged him to not stop.

Sakura unraveled shamelessly for him as swirl of colors flitted past her eyes. She tensed with a built up scream and clutched at his hair so tightly she thought she might have hurt him.

Everything went black.

"Sakura?...Sakura..." Gaara's voice cut through her dreamlike state as she came back. She opened her eyes to see him looking down at her rather worriedly. He was still damp, but whether it was from the shower or perspiration she didn't know. What she did know was that he looked far too sultry when wet.

"What happened?" The kunoichi's voice was sore and dry. She felt his hand stroke at her shoulder tenderly. She licked her lips before speaking again. "Did I...pass out?"

The redhead only nodded silently causing his semi-wet hair to fall into his light aqua eyes. She felt guilty towards his torn expression, and obviously he thought he did something wrong. 'Precious thing, you did it perfectly!' At that moment she couldn't help but start laughing.

"Oh my god, you poor thing I'm so sorry!" Sakura was nearly cackling with laughter while he gave her an adorably confused expression.

"Did I...did I hurt you somehow?" He blushed nervously while trying to distract himself with anything else in the room. She laughed even harder.

"Hell no! That was the best thing I've ever experienced in my life!" Attempting to bring herself to only giggles she made an effort to sit up to talk to him. "You made a woman pass out from an orgasm you should be EXTREMELY proud right now!"

Gaara turned red all over, but he seemed content all the same. He was definitely feeling better about the situation now.

"I almost thought to go get the medical team... I thought I killed you perhaps..." The redhead looked to the side nervously.

"Oh I'm glad you didn't! That would be the most embarrassing way to end up in a hospital!" The kunoichi broke back out into a fit of laughter, gaining a much needed chuckle from Gaara. She was all smiles, and he seemed to truly enjoy watching her be happy. He was truly a wonderful person.

"Sakura..." His shyness started to return. It was strange for him to just change on a dime like that. Sakura calmed before taking in what he was about to say since it must have been important for him to suddenly lose the cool he had worked so hard to gain. He took a deep breath before locking eyes with her. "Would you like to spend some time together tomorrow? Maybe we could have lunch together...um..." his eyes shifted and he scratched the back of his head nervously.

'Uh oh.' She had expected something like this would happen. That he would take their activities the wrong way and try to pursue a possible relationship. How she was going to deter him from this thought process was going to be difficult because she was his first, and that alone made this very special beyond cultures and morals. She really did not want to kill that romantic flame in him, but she wanted to wake him up to the fact that a romance for them was not realistic. This was for sex, camaraderie, and furthering ones self. This, unfortunately, was not about unifying the two of them under the sweet glow of love.

"You're very sweet..." The kunoichi began before closing the space between them. He tensed as they locked eyes, and she moved to straddle his lap. He instinctually grabbed at her backside and held her to him. Wrapping her arms around his shoulders she planted feather soft kisses along his jaw until she reached his ear. "But, you already have me in your 'talented' hands. There's no need to woo me, Gaara. I already told you that you can have your way with me."

'I hate this.' Sakura bit her lip bitterly. It almost hurt her to try and make him want her only for sex. She didn't want to be a quick fuck for him, nor did she want him to take on that sort of 'douchebag' behavior. Deep in her heart she wanted this to be something deeper than that, but she would never openly admit it.

"It's just lunch. I'm not asking you to marry me." She felt him kiss her neck with a gentleness that she hadn't felt before. The smile she felt against her skin was infectious as was his comment.

"I don't know if you're being cute or if you're being a brat." Sakura snickered before reaching for his towel again only to have her hand taken away from the area. She lifted away from resting against him to glare at him. "Hey now! I'd like to continue where we left off if you don't mind."

"After lunch tomorrow we can do just that." Gaara said with sly grin.

'Oh that sneaky little shit!'

"I think you just want to have me for more than just one night. Brat!" The kunoichi smacked his chest playfully gaining a snicker from the redhead.

"I thought that was the point?" He received another smack for his smart mouth then a flurry just so she could let off steam. Between laughing, wincing, and wrestling he finally jumped off the couch to swiftly make his way to the bathroom. She decided to give chase, but before she could reach him he had already thrown his towel at her and shut the door. Unfortunately he did it so fast she didn't get to see anything.

"Brat!" Sakura hit the door 'lightly' and laughed.

"I'll see you at my office tomorrow at 12:00 don't be late." Gaara's voice carried through the door. When she realized he wasn't going to come back out she groaned in a half irritated, half amused way.

"Sneaky tanuki..." The kunoichi finally walked around the room gathering her clothes, and dressed herself. Before she left she tapped on the bathroom door with a snicker.

"Thank you for showing me a good time, daddy."

With that bit of cheekiness said she left the room just as quietly as she had entered it.


	6. Chapter 6

**AN: Just putting an extra warning here for sensitive beebs, don't read if you are offended by sex or sexual content. Seriously. Ya might as well never read any of my work because that's literally all that I do here.**

The rain was pouring heavily outside the office windows. The sky was a dark grey even though it was barely past noon.

"What horrible weather for a date, great idea, Gaara." Mumbling to himself, Gaara peered nervously out at the flooding world. His hands fidgeted with his casual maroon attire, and adjusted his coat buttons subconsciously. To say he were on edge would be an understatement.

So when a confident knock sounded at his door, it wasn't a surprise that he jumped slightly at the clatter. However, it didn't take his senses long to know who it was.

That, and she was fifteen minutes late.

"Come in, Sakura." He nearly choked. The young kazekage had absolutely no clue how to court, and he felt dejected over the fact that she was still making all the moves. He continued to stare hard at the rain, but he knew she was drawing closer because he could smell her. Her scent was much stronger today, and his keen nose could usually smell everyone's scents rather strongly to begin with. However, it was practically heady today...

"Did it rain on your parade?" Sakura snickered next to him. When he finally looked over at her he realized why she smelled so strongly of her hair and skin products. Her hair was soaking wet as was her whole body, and it did not help that the waterlogged clothing clung to her body now like a second skin. When he finally realized he was staring his eyes darted back to the outside world to avoid her scrutiny. "Hey now, what's with you? I thought we were past this?"

Gaara felt her arms circle around his waist, and he felt his body stiffen when she nuzzled her face against his shoulder.

"I'm fine..." He decided he wasn't going to speak for the rest of the day as his voice seemed to keep coming out timidly rather than with his usual confidence. Also, he decided that he couldn't have Sakura clinging on him like she was. He could feel the wetness of her clothes soaking into his own, and it was causing his mind to wander into darker places. "You're wet."

"So you noticed? Yeah, I was running some errands, and unfortunately I had to go outside. I was going to change, but I decided to shake things up a bit." Sakura's voice was dripping just as much as her clothing was. He felt an itch coming on.

"You're getting me wet." Gaara exclaimed monotonously. He was trying very hard to separate himself from his urges.

"I thought it was supposed to be the other way around?" Her giggle was as clear as a silver bell, and he felt many straws snap in his head over her statement. The memory of how she tasted last night didn't help him either. Or the fact that he wanted to make her scream again, and again, and again.

'I'm not going to be able to make it even five minutes.' The young Kazekage thought to himself as he turned around in her arms to finally face her head on. The droplets of water that clung to Sakura's thick lashes, pouting lips, and flushed cheeks were enough to seal his fate. 'Damn it all to hell...'

Gaara kissed her with a fire that could vaporize all the moisture that clung to her, but he was glad that it stayed as her slick skin was just another new wonderful sensation to his wandering hands. He could feel her tense in shock at his boldness, but he was reassured when she hummed against him, and she opened her mouth in full submission. He didn't waste the heated moment, and he hoisted her up into his arms. As if she knew exactly what he wanted she wrapped her lithe legs around his frame, and bit his lip in the process. With a growl he pushed forward to sit her on his desk, but the paperwork offended him with it's professional presence. He glared at the documents and random items scattering the surface before shoving everything violently to the floor to make room for his conquest.

"Eh?! Aren't those important?!" Sakura squeaked when he roughly, but still carefully situated her.

"Not right now they aren't." Gaara answered huskily before grinding his hips against her own. When she gasped he felt a shiver go down his spine. Not having her completely last night was painful, and he had let his mind wander the whole rest of the evening over how it would feel to have her. He did want her, and turning down sex in favor of just paying attention to her needs had taken an almost maddening toll. Hearing Sakura scream his name, and not being able to just plunge into her was one of the hardest things he had ever done.

"I thought we were going to get lunch?" Sakura laughed in between kisses, but he could tell she was comfortable by how she was grabbing at his backside with each grind of their hips. Those cursed hands of his had a mind of their own as they skillfully started unbuttoning his coat. She slowed her actions to watch him carefully, but her interest still showed.

"You are lunch." Gaara growled playfully and bit at her neck. She squealed and squirmed in his arms, but it soon gave way to whimpers as he moved his hands to have one hold her frame and the other to stroke in between her legs. He sucked hard at her jugular, and she bucked her hips with a gasp. He was growing irritated with the fact that they were both still clothed. The young Kazekage wanted nothing more than to have her naked, and panting with want.

A loud knocking came from the door.

"Damnit!" Gaara broke away from Sakura's neck and practically shouted. He needed release badly, and yet again he was denied that privilege.

"Gaara...sssshh...it's okay." The beautiful flushed woman in his arms immediately started to soothe him. She gently pet his hair before trailing down his cheek. He closed his eyes, and moved further into her soft hand. She cooed at him like a mother would an upset child, and for anyone else this might have been awkward, but for him it was just what he needed. "Go do your job, and I'll give you a present when you're done okay?"

Before he could protest he felt her hand on his groin. He was confused until he felt her chakra flowing to the aroused area, and it dispersed all the tension that had built there allowing the blood to go back to his brain. As relieving as it was to no longer have the strain present he was also slightly disturbed that she had the power and knowledge to do that. However, her medical ninjutsu was unmatched so he wasn't too surprised by it.

Gaara groaned as he pulled away from her feeling extremely disappointed, and on edge. He felt like a raw wound that just had salt poured over it.

The knocking grew louder as he approached the door; he certainly wasn't going to let the person in, but as he let his senses come back to him he realized the visitor would probably make things a lot more difficult than they had to be. He ended up opening the door with more force than he had intended, and startled his sister.

"What." It didn't come out as much of a question as it did an accusation. He made it known that he wanted to be alone, and she had a flash of fear wash over her for just the smallest of moments. Part of him enjoyed it, but the bigger part of him felt terrible for it.

"I...was just...bringing you those documents you asked for... about the market planning on using our sand for glass goods?" Temari handed them to him cautiously, and he took them silently. "Are you okay?"

Gaara looked into his sister's eyes. He noted their concern, and allowed his conscience to take a large hit.

"I'm sorry. The weather has been making me tense, and the scorpion rampages aren't helping." He lied.

"Yeah, they do get pretty bad this time of year what with their dens flooding. I would say take a nap but...you know. Ha ha." She tapped his shoulder lightly before her expression changed. "Why are you wet?"

"Ah. I had opened a window for a moment..." He felt the lies start to weigh on him. He didn't want to have to weave story.

"Really? That's odd. It's only in some places..." When she began looking him over he noticed her suspicions start to rise. "You smell like a girl."

Gaara felt the blood drain from his face. He knew how protective Temari was, and she especially hated his female fans. He didn't even want to begin thinking about what she would do if she found out he was fooling around with Sakura.

"Oh my God. Do you have a girl in there?!" He couldn't read her expression. It was just shock. No anger, no excitement, just shock.

"I'd...rather not..." Gaara stared at the floor. He couldn't tell her another lie, but he couldn't say the truth either. He was completely stuck.

"Hi Temari!" Sakura's voice rang behind him, and he looked into Temari's eyes with absolute horror. He knew Sakura was right behind him in the doorway, and that his sister could see her. If his face wasn't pale before, it was practically blue now.

"Sa-Sakura?!" The blonde stammered like a gaping fish. "What the...are you...oh no."

Temari pushed the lovers back into the office before closing the door behind her, and gave them no time to react.

"Do you have any idea how bad this is?! Do you have any fucking idea how much trouble you could get into?! God damnit Sakura! I said flirt with him not FUCK HIM!" Temari had gone from a violent whisper to a stern shout in a matter of seconds.

Gaara was suddenly very confused. Sakura was told to flirt with him? The thought started to sour, the gears turned, and then when it finally sunk in he began to feel sick.

"Gaara it's not like that. Listen to me, I know it sounds bad-"

"You approached me...why exactly?" He felt his blood start to boil. "To get a laugh? Was it funny? Did I entertain you?"

"Gaara, stop it. What happened wasn't a joke." Sakura started, but he wouldn't let her finish.

"No it wasn't a joke! Yet you and my sister made some sort of bidding over how I should be treated? Playing me like a fucking puppet!" Sand started pouring out of the gourd he left by his desk.

"Gaara, I told her to flirt with you because we were worried that you wouldn't find someone..." Temari began and he gave her a look that she hadn't seen in a long time. It was almost murderous.

"So it's all fake. Just a reuse to see if I'll actually take some pretty bait." He had to stare at the floor again or else he might end up punching one of them. He visibly shook with rage.

"You were never interested-"

"FUCK YOU, TEMARI! YOU DON'T KNOW ANYTHING YOU IGNORANT SIMPLETON!" Sand began to rush along the floor, and thrash at the walls. Temari visibly paled, and backed away, but Sakura stepped towards him.

"Gaara, knock it off. It's not fake. I truly do like you, but I do not like this. This is not the man that I respect and care about." The pink haired kunoichi stood strong even as she got blasted with small licks of sand, but he still couldn't seem to calm down.

"You lied to me, and approached me like a whor-!" Gaara felt his face crack. It had shattered slightly beneath her fist as it connected with his cheekbone full force, and it was fast enough to just barely get past his ultimate defense. His eyes widened, and he strangely felt everything come back to him. His sanity was no longer lost in the waves of sand.

"Sakura, no!" Temari rushed in to hold the other kunoichi back, but by her stance she had made it known that she was done.

"Sabaku Gaara, Kazekage of Suna, and jinchuriki of Shukaku the one tailed beast, don't you EVER call me a whore. Especially since what I shared with you was not for my own personal gain. What I shared with you was for your benefit, and I enjoy our time together. I'm not getting paid to flirt with you, or kiss you, or anything further. I could easily have said no to flirting with you, but I didn't. Why? Because I WANTED TO. I wanted to do it! I like you! I like being around you! I don't think a prostitute chooses her profession because she enjoys it, and I'm not getting profit from being with you!" Sakura shook off Temari's grasp, and stormed towards the door. "Consider lunch canceled. If you want to make it up to me you can go ahead and try, but I'm not promising forgiveness. I am totally furious with you right now. Shame on you!"

She slammed the door so hard that it cracked from the knob to the floor, and Gaara looked to be in rather similar shape. It had happened all so fast, and his head was reeling from the truth as well as the insanely strong punch to his face.

Temari just stood there in silence, unable to look him in the eyes. He felt bad for scaring her too, when she was just looking out for his interests.

If he didn't like Sakura as much as he did, Gaara believed he probably wouldn't have reacted the way he had. It was near madness what he felt for Sakura, and he was silently relieved that she liked him too. Perhaps not as much as he liked her, but she liked him enough to be physical with him.

Gaara admitted to himself right then that he had totally fucked up.

...

Over a week had passed since the outburst in his office, and true to her word she did not approach him. Not that Gaara could say that he approached her either as he felt far too much shame for what had been said. It had been a very long time since he had gotten out of control like that, and the fact that she brought it out of him scared him to death.

That didn't mean that he didn't want to be forgiven though.

The rain had continued to cause problems, with flooding and the behemoth scorpion rampages, many people had been hospitalized or needed assistance. Sakura had been too busy at the hospital for them to cross paths, and he had been busy repairing damages to the village as well as slaying the beastly bugs that looked for shelter and food in the wrong place.

Gaara was walking back currently from the same task that he was left with every day, only today it was just fixing a flooded home. He was grateful that he could control sand, as it most definitely helped in making sandstone. The amount of things that could be done with sand was actually quite amazing. Glass, buffing material, sandstone, hourglasses, porcelain, crystal and more. The fact that no one thought to find profit in it blew his mind, but he was glad that he could bring that to his people.

"I'm not getting profit from being with you!"

The words bounced around in Gaara's head, and echoed painfully in his heart. He was hurt from her initial lie, but he also realized that she wasn't asked to be physical with him. She did that on her own, and that had to mean that she liked him more than just a friend. He didn't know a great deal about her, but he had shared more with her than he had anyone else.

At that thought he stopped. He looked around himself and saw that he was completely alone. Just standing there in the pouring rain as the day turned to night. It wasn't cold, as the rain in Suna never was, but he felt like ice. He saw an alley to his left, and wandered down it. He didn't want to go home, and be utterly alone. If he was going to be lonely he would prefer to be outside like he always was when he couldn't find company.

The rain helped in the way that no one can tell you're crying when your face is already drenched.

Gaara found a wall to lean against, and he allowed himself to release his pent up bitterness. He shuddered, breathed, and let more than a few tears come out, but he didn't moan with sorrow. He cried silently.

When footsteps echoed down the path that he was on he quickly straightened. His body was horribly tense that he felt his shoulders knot up almost instantly. Gaara did not rest, so the feeling of complete relaxation was lost on him. He always felt knots, cramps, tension, soreness, and his eyes almost always burned. Shukaku kept him alive, and the presence of the beast healed the damage, but he never felt peace or renewed energy. He only just pushed through the stress, and he was always tired.

The footsteps were around the corner now, and the chakra signature was one that he didn't want to come across, but he wouldn't deny that he missed it.

"What are you doing here?" Her clear voice was stern, but also seemed concerned. When he refused to answer Sakura approached him with a confidence that he currently lacked. "Gaara? What are you doing out here?"

Gaara looked down, he didn't want lie, but he couldnt tell the truth; again.

"Gaara...?" Her voice and demeanour started to waver the closer she got to him. When she finally reached him he felt like closing up like a shellfish, and hiding as far away as he could. "Why are you crying?"

Gaara's eyes met hers in shock. 'How did she know? I was so careful.' He molded to the wall, and he felt fear. How could this woman read him? There was no way to tell he was crying in this weather.

"Don't be scared. I'm not going to hurt you." Sakura reached out to grab his hand, and his sand flowed around him cautiously as she stroked his palm with her thumb.

"I'm...So sorry." Gaara choked, and his mind went blank as his body trembled. "Please don't..."

"Don't what?" Her brows stitched together with empathy, and it was obvious that she could feel his pain through his actions. He took sharp breaths, finding the pain in his chest taking over his whole system. He felt like dying.

"Don't hate me...please don't hate me...don't hate me...don't..." He began repeating the words like a mantra, feeling his mind starting to slip like it had in the past. He wanted so badly for her to like him, as he really did like her so much. She was so important, and he didn't want to lose her.

"No, I don't hate you. Oh Gaara, please don't do that. Don't cry. I don't I hate you, I promise." Sakura wrapped her arms around his neck, and held him fast. He returned it with just as much feeling.

"I'm sorry! I'm so sorry for treating you like that!" Gaara felt so relieved to hold her, but he didnt know if it would last. He didnt know if she would forgive him. "I'm so sorry...I am a monster..."

"You are not a monster! Don't say that." She ran her fingers into his soaked hair, and he ducked his head into the crook of her neck to accept the petting. "It's okay. Everything is okay. It doesn't matter anymore, because it's in the past, and I forgive you."

Gaara felt warmth come back to his body, but he couldn't stop the hot tears from spilling from his eyes.

"I missed you." He choked out.

"Did you miss me? Or did you miss my body?" Sakura gave a strained laughed, but it was still genuine.

"...both." Gaara nuzzled further against her neck, and she gave a heartier laugh.

"Oh ho! Who's the whore now?" She snickered cheekily, and held him a bit tighter to reassure him that it was only a joke. He mimicked the motion by holding her waist more firmly to reciprocate. "I missed you too."

They stayed that way for longer than was necessary. Neither wanting to let go of the other. It was almost pitch black out, pouring rain, and still they refused to move. It was a long time before he felt the urge to speak.

"Can I...stay with you tonight?" Gaara's voice was hoarse from the strain of crying. "I don't sleep, but I don't want to be alone. I just want to be around you...I want to be with you."

Sakura didn't say anything, and Gaara feared that he had pushed his luck too far, but something he didn't expect happened.

She brought his face up to her level, and kissed him more gently than she ever had before.

His eyes fluttered shut, and all he could feel was her cool wet lips and the rain trickling down from his crown to the soles of his feet. It was as if she became the very rain that drenched him, and that's when he knew that this was it. It was the right time, and it was perfect.

It wasn't a fire hot passion like before, it was slow and cautious now. Sakura moved her delicate hands into the folds of his clothing, and slowly undid the fastenings to his jacket and pants. He watched her as she appreciated his body through his fishnet shirt that he wore underneath his heavy layers. She ran her fingers down the shirt, and let her nails scratch gingerly at the material as well as the pale skin underneath. The sensation was soothing as well as pleasurable. There was no rush here.

Sakura still didn't waste time though. She brought her hands back to her own garments, and shifted out of her shorts. The dress she wore over them was cut at the sides to expose her hips, and with her shorts gone her creamy legs looked like they went on forever because of the effect. The rain ran down her body beautifully, and her clothes clung so close to the skin that there was nothing left to imagine. She allowed him to stare, and his hands had been pressed to either side of her on the wall; keeping her locked to him. She was ethereal, like a nymph waiting in the sparkling pool of a waterfall. Patiently waiting to take him into her arms with a gentleness that he could only dream up, and never actually experience.

Gaara allowed the dream to become flesh as he embraced her again. He felt her cool hands run into the open folds of his jacket as his skin tingled underneath the netting and her fingertips. He took a shaking breath, and prepared himself for the dive he was about to take. His dominant hand reached between them, and slipped past the hem of his pants. He almost grimaced at the feeling of his own cold, wet hand as it gripped around his length. Even more so as he pulled it out into the cool rain. Suddenly this became very real.

His eyes came up to her own, and he stared deeply into her jade orbs. She blinked slowly at him, and nodded her head as a sign of acceptance. His heart pulsed, and his ears took in the sound of rain pounding the surfaces around them. He watched tentatively as the droplets fell from her lashes and lips. He breathed deeply as time slowed down.

Gaara molded his hips against hers, and Sakura wrapped one leg around his own. He felt with his hand first for her folds, and she shivered when he connected; she was so warm. He assumed it was similar to when he had to grab himself with his own damp hand, but she smiled slightly at him so it must not have been so bad. He positioned himself at her entrance, and checked one last time to make sure she was still open to him.

"It's okay, Gaara. I'm ready." Sakura smiled softly at him, and it was enough reassurance to make him slowly press into her. He breathed shakily, he was only halfway in but already the sensation was flooding over him. Her sheath was hot, wet, and tight around him. As he pressed all the way in he took a sharp breath. It was so much, almost too much. He was inside her...

"I'm sorry...I'm just...this is..." Gaara scrambled for words to describe what was happening. All he could do was stumble his sentences, and breathe.

"It's okay, take your time. There's no rush." Sakura comforted him. He could see her chest breathing deeply, and her cheeks were already flushing. It was more than obvious that she wanted him to move, but she was a saint, and waited for him to be comfortable with the newness of it all.

"Does it...hurt?" He swallowed hard, and grabbed gently at her hips.

"No. It's nice." She leaned in and kissed him softly. He drank in the taste of her lips, and felt the urge to move. As he slid his arousal away from her heat she gave a shallow breath. The sensation of her caused him to shiver, and he wanted more of it. He decided to move back into her a bit more quickly than before, and he ended up pressing harder against her hips. When she gasped he stilled himself.

"Are you alright? Did I hurt you?" Gaara felt worry slip into him as he feared he may have just injured her.

"No. Again. Do it again." Sakura panted. Her chest was rising and falling faster now, and he could tell it was not from pain. He readied himself for another thrust, and was met with a soft mewl in his ear. He shuddered at the sound, and his breath shaked while the electricity flowed when every inch of her moved against him. It was unlike anything he had ever felt, and he wanted to feel it again. He moved out slowly before sliding back into her hard. He gasped as the sensation heightened, and she tensed around him with another whimper. Her hands gripped at his back, and the netting of his shirt became tightly clamped between her fingers. His head started to spin, and he stopped to register everything. "Don't tell me you're already there." She laughed breathily in his ear.

"No...its...Just alot..." Gaara rested his head against the crook of her neck. He took in her scent as deeply as was possible. She nuzzled her face into his wet hair.

"Does it feel good?" Sakura said just above a whisper before rolling her hips against his. When the tingling feeling overcame him again from just that small amount of movement he gave sharp breaths to try to ingest it.

"Y-yes..." He shivered. For a while now he had imagined taking her roughly like an animal in heat, but now it was all so much he was brought to a quaking mess. She felt far better than anything he could have cooked up in his imagination, and she sounded sexier than he had ever heard too. Her scent was invading him like a virus, and she tasted like cool water. He wanted to eat her, drink her, thrust into her, and breathe her like she were air. With everything flooding his brain he went almost on autopilot, and moved into her hard.

It felt far to good, and when his hips slammed into hers again he accidentally let out a moan. She answered him with one of her own, and he could feel her tense around him. It was as if she were trying to keep him inside of her, and that thought alone made him pulse with need. He moved again, and again, and again. Each time felt better than the last.

Sakura had started to continuously make noise, and it was obvious by all the different sounds that she made that she was enjoying every inch of him. He moaned again as the thought of her enjoying it made him feel even more aroused. He moved at a steady pace not wanting to lose himself in the motions and slip up. Moving his hips into hers wasn't difficult but it did require some concentration. It didn't help, however, when she reached one lithe hand beneath his waistline to grab at the main muscle that made all the movements work. She squeezed his backside every so often when she felt a great wave of pleasure, and it was like putting gasoline on an already raging fire.

Gaara let out a quiet curse and she got one laugh in before it was overcome by whimpers and moans. The rain was so loud around them that he was certain no one could hear her, but he silenced her with a kiss all the same just in case. When she bit at his lip he opened his mouth to moan, even though she was still biting down. Usually it would be uncomfortable to have someone breathing hotly against your mouth, but the feeling was welcomed by the two of them. They moaned between wet kisses from the rain pouring down on them. Gaara swore he was starting to see colors that didn't exist.

Suddenly Sakura started to cry out, it was a sharp sound, but it wasn't one of pain. She was in pure ecstasy, and he swore that if she continued like that he wasn't going to live through it. She was trying hard to rock into him, and he knew she just needed a little more to push her over the edge. Despite how close he was to finishing he thrusted harder into her, and she tensed hard around him. She threw her head back and nearly screamed before putting her own hand over her mouth. He was grateful he didn't have to do it for her as it gave him just enough concentration to hold himself back, and let her finish first. She screamed so hard behind her hand, and her body was rock hard with tension as he moved against her like a well oiled machine. She was so tight around him that the feeling couldn't be held back any longer. He felt white hot pleasure invade him, and his length began to throb with climax while he groaned ecstatically. He pulled out into the cold wet air to feel pulses of fluid pump out of him onto the pavement beneath them. He panted hard from the exertion, and from the most intense orgasm he had felt so far in his life. One that left his heart still fluttering, and a relaxing glow overtake him. All he could do was breathe. Breathe, and hold the most beautiful creature on the planet painfully close.

The rain continued to pour, washing away any evidence of what had transpired. It washed away the stress, and hid them from the world as they both basked in each other's affections. Gaara couldn't stop himself from capturing her lips again, and she dazedly returned the kiss trying to keep her energy from completely leaving her. She smiled dumbly in between kisses, completely swept away with him. It was as if nothing existed but the two of them.

"Did I do alright?" He finally asked after kissing her for longer than what was usual for them. She gave him a smile that looked nearly drunk.

"Mmmyeah. If you get any better we're going to have a problem." Sakura giggled almost dreamily.

"Afraid you'll want more?" Gaara felt a bit of confidence return to him. He seemed to be able to keep her pleased, and from what he had heard it wasn't exactly easy for a man to keep a woman pleased in the erotic sense.

"Oh I already want more. You have me higher than a kite, sir. I think I'm already addicted. Only you're the drug and the dealer so I don't really know how that's logical...fuck logic." She brought her arms back up to hang around his neck.

"Why fuck logic? You could spend all that exertion on me instead." The young Kazekage quipped, and he felt another swell to his pride when she gave a genuine laugh at his wit.

"You are getting quick, aren't you? You should change the kanji on your head from 'love' to 'trouble'!" Sakura started to snicker while he readjusted himself so he wasn't flashing her. He gave her a wicked smirk once everything was back to their original places.

"Better yet, I'm sure you would prefer it to say 'daddy'." Gaara let the word slide sinfully from his lips, but he received a soft 'smack' on the cheek for his smart mouth.

He wanted her to hit harder next time.

 **AN: Oh I hate some of things I'm going to make these characters go through. This was supposed to be just a fun smut fic but I feel a dark storm blowing in that just screams drama. Ugh, I'm not usually one for it myself but it is very fun to let fiction go a bit wild. Anywho, this is my first time writing a full sex scene from a male perspective (and by that I'm talking intercourse) and if I have any male readers out there I'd love to hear your thoughts on how I did. Be true - review!**


	7. Chapter 7

Sakura woke up practically attached to the man next to her. She was encased in his strong, but lean arms, and she noticed how calm his face looked while he slept. She snuggled a bit further into his embrace.

"Wait a minute..." Her whole body tensed and she carefully maneuvered out of his arms. His eyes were shut, and his breathing was calm, but this was not right. Gaara wasn't supposed to sleep! "Oh my God. Gaara!" She had swung a leg over him to get in a good position before striking him hard across the face. His sand arrived just a little too late to stop her.

"What are you doing?!" Gaara opened his eyes and proceeded to glare at her while rubbing the now sore area.

"You were asleep!" She nearly screeched. The young Kazekage almost bursted out in a laugh.

"No, I was awake. I was just relaxing." A smile pulled at his lips as he watched her expression change multiple times. "I was waiting for you to finish your r.e.m. cycle before providing you with a very personal wakeup call. On a scale of one to ten, how would you rate your call today?"

"...a two." Sakura bit sarcastically.

"Ah, we apologize for any inconveniences. Is there anything we could do in the future to make your stay more pleasant?" Gaara smiled cheekily at her, and she had to hold off on laughing knowing full well that it would make him even more ridiculous.

"Hmmm, well... you see I found this boy-toy in my bed this morning, and he was unfortunately not naked. I would like to speak to your manager about that." She ran her fingernails down his black cotton shirt for emphasis, and he arched his hips to tease her right back.

"If you're not satisfied with the boy-toy I'm sure we could find you a bellhop. Here in Sakura's bedroom we aim to please." His hands traveled up both of her thighs before gripping firmly at her barely clothed hips. God he was sexy in the morning, regardless of whether he was being a smartass or not.

"Uh, I'm pretty sure I asked for the manager, not the bellhop. I demand the man in charge!" Sakura squealed when he responded with pushing her onto her back, and pinning her to the bed. She never would have believed how playful Gaara could be, but in all honesty he definitely enjoyed her company and it showed.

"Hello, my name is Gaara. I'm the manager of this fine establishment. How may I assist you?" Gaara started to snicker, and held her down hard as she squirmed.

"Hi Gaara, I'm calling because this crazy horned up boy-toy won't stop teasing me." Sakura struggled again, and started to get annoyed with the fact that she couldn't put her hands on him.

"Ah, I see. Could you explain the teasing?" He maneuvered her wrists to fit in just one of his hands while the other moved down her frame freely, tugging at the straps of her tank top.

'What a brat!' She inwardly bit.

"Oh you little... ok... well he's making all these moves, and I'm getting really impatient. I would like it if he would just stop role-playing and take off his damn shirt already- Gaara knock it off it's not funny anymore!" Sakura tried to flail as he ran his hand over her chest teasingly, but he just gave her a very wicked grin in response.

"Oh it's hilarious. I enjoy watching you squirm, I can see why you liked breaking me in since it's so adorable when you're flustered." Gaara narrowed his eyes seductively before leaning in to whisper in her ear. "You're blushing"

"Oh, I should smack you." Sakura glared at him. She was beginning to not enjoy this morning anymore.

"If you do I'll just come right back and say 'harder'." Gaara purred, and she was both taken aback by the comment as well as aroused by it.

"Gaara, let go of me." She put on the most serious face that she could, and it worked like a charm. Suddenly his sexy facade faded into uncertainty, and he backed off like he had burned her.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to upset you..." He started to move but she quickly turned the tables and flipped him onto his back much to his surprise.

"Ha! You have been had sir! And now it's time for you to live up to your word!" Sakura planted a soft slap on his cheek and giggled. At first he looked totally lost and confused, but it quickly changed to something a bit more dangerous.

"Tread carefully, and remember that I have a beast inside of me that is always looking for a way out." His eyes looked her up and down hungrily, and she couldnt conceal the shiver that crawled up her spine. She almost wished for that animal side of him to show it's face.

"What if I wanted to hang out with Shukaku? I heard tanuki are always looking for a good time." She leaned forward to run her fingers through his spikey red hair, and he groaned softly when she dragged her fingernails against his scalp.

"Mmmmmbad idea... you would have a bad time..." He arched his back, and grabbed her hips with more firmness than before. "However... I might be worse. Where he would just screw you then kill you, I would screw you...then torture you...then I'd do it again...and again."

"Oh, please make that a promise." Sakura kissed him hard before running both her hands up his shirt. He fell right into step with her, but this time he fought her for dominance, and she loved every second of it.

This had been going on for quite a bit of her time now in Suna. It had been two weeks since she had taken his virginity, and this was probably the fifteenth time they had fooled around. That's with a couple days of rest in between here and there. However, the longer the time spent apart, the more they messed around when they did end up back together again.

She wasn't expecting for it to keep happening, but it just did. Originally it was supposed to be a one time deal, but after the deed had been done she couldnt say no when he would stop her in her tracks with just a look.

The second time it happened it was simply the next day, and she had just gotten done teaching some of the suna doctors one of her own medical jutsus. They passed each other in the hallway just outside of her bedroom, and all he did was give her a shy smile as he walked past. That was all it took for her to grab him by the kage robes he was sporting that day, and pull him into her room for the night.

After that, occasionally he would just grab her out of nowhere as well. Sometimes during a lunch break if he caught her at a slow point in her work. He wouldn't even ask before pulling her into the nearest vacant room to run his hands all over her, and she never once told him no.

It happened a lot, and quite frankly he was the best she had ever had. Not to mention she liked him much more than any of the other few guys she had unfortunately slept with.

Gaara was an extreme person, and he had a stamina that just wouldn't quit. Not to mention a body that wouldn't quit either, if she did say so herself. He was very sexy indeed. It was difficult to not think about him, but she wasn't sure if she was truly in love with him. It was too soon to tell.

'Please don't hate me.'

The memory would flood her from time to time, and as wonderful as it was, it was also the most horrible she had ever felt. To see his face in pain, and his eyes red from tears, was awful.

Yet, he was so beautiful that night. You see, when someone with blue eyes cries their eyes go red of course, but the color of the blue is brightened by the opposing red. He had looked so fragile, and his irises were so vibrant. Haunting, but in an ethereal way.

'I missed you.'

She couldn't say no. When his voice cracked for her she was almost brought to her knees. She wanted nothing more than to care for him, and sadly that was a problem that a lot of nurses and doctors faced. Falling for the weak, and wanting to heal them and watch them get better. They call it wounded bird syndrome, and Sakura was a sucker for a sad panda. Or rather, a sad tanuki.

Her heart swelled even more at the fact of how much concern he had for her wellbeing during the act. He was so adorably nervous, and careful, but he was also so eager too. She had never seen someone act so precious. He was too good for this world, and sometimes she hated herself because she wished she could just let herself fall for him. The majority of the time she could feel that dangerous unconditional emotion arise, but she would punch it back down into the void. It happened so often with him that it started to scare her, but she didn't want to pull away either.

Sakura wished she could truly love him, but she couldn't love anyone like that anymore. She refused to. It was too dangerous.

"Are you okay?" Suddenly Sakura's eyes came in to focus, and she realized she was back underneath him, with him giving her a very concerned look. Once again, her heart broke a little.

"Oh no! I'm sorry I didn't mean to zone out! I'm still just a little tired..." She lied and waved her hands in front of him. She couldn't tell him that she was thinking about whether or not she loved him. That would be cruel. It would be sick to keep up this game, and tell him that she wanted to feel nothing.

"It seems my wakeup call really was awful... I'll have to go straight to corporate then." Gaara feigned concern before ducking down to suck at her neck. She moaned before smacking him playfully on the shoulder.

"I don't want to talk to corporate!" Sakura barked while she continued to slap his shoulder, and he growled in response. She could live like this. No strings, just playing, and enjoying each other's company. No declarations. This was fine.

"Harder." Gaara purred, and she began a flurry of little slaps with both hands to shoo him away, all while attempting to hide her blush.

He's getting a little too cocky, that tanuki.

-...-...-

"Hey girly! How are things?" Kankuro popped into the medical archives to catch her writing on scrolls.

Sakura had been working hard to get more information of her techniques on paper so they could be archived. She had taught a few of the other medical nin some of her jutsu and medicinal recipes but she didn't have the time or resources to do all of it with them.

"Hey Kankuro, I'm doing great how are you?" She kept the conversation as casual as possible even though she knew he was going to ask about Gaara.

"I'm fantastic, how's my baby brother treating you?" He beamed.

Uh huh. She knew it.

"Gaara is treating me fine, thanks for asking." Sakura smirked as she turned to place a scroll on the shelf. She knew he was probably frowning at how little she told him.

"C'mon! It's been a month now since you decided to date my bro, and I don't get any juicy updates?!" The puppet master pouted and plopped into a chair next to the desk she was currently using.

"We aren't dating. It's just sex, nothing more." She groaned at him, and began putting the rest of her scrolls into her carrying bag.

When there was only silence she realized her mistake.

"You...you did it? You're sleeping with him?" She turned around to answer him only to find him staring at her in disbelief.

'Damn. Gaara didn't want anyone to know...'

"What? Didn't Temari tell you we were? It's been going on for a while..." Sakura fiddled with her hair as a nervous tick.

"Temari said she thought you guys were getting handsy she didn't say you actually did it though. She knew?" Kankuro looked at the floor dejectedly, butthurt over the fact that his sister didn't fill him in.

"No, it wasn't confirmed. It wasn't supposed to be confirmed. So you don't know anything, understand?" She mentally put her foot down, but it showed in her demeanor and he bristled.

"Look, I'm not going to talk, but I'm glad you got somewhere with him. However, what the fuck are you talking about 'just sex'? You're continuing to sleep with him, but you don't want a relationship? I thought this was a one time deal?" His tone went from casual to something Sakura couldnt quite place, and it strangely intimidated her. However, it wasn't his place to judge how she and Gaara chose to get along. Gaara was a grown man, and he made his own choices of continuing to sleep with her. Relationship status was never even a topic.

"It's none of your business, but he gets it. So butt out." She bit a little too defensively, and his face started to darken. This energy didn't have the casual normality that the puppet master usually brought with him. No, something was off.

"I don't think you understand." Kankuro stood up slowly, and she felt the room grow heavier in his aura.

'Something is very wrong here.' She inwardly bristled.

He moved towards her, and she didn't realize she had been backing up until she hit the wall behind her. When his fist balled up on the surface next to her head she tensed feeling adrenaline pulse maddeningly through her veins.

"You are making him fall in love with you, and if you're just using him instead of returning his love then I will make you regret ever barking up his tree do you got that? I will ruin you. I will make you undesirable in every single way. I will tear you to shreds if you hurt him." Was he really threatening her? This wasn't like him, and she never would have believed he'd said it if she hadn't actually heard it herself.

"What is you're problem?!" Sakura started to cave under his dominant energy, but she still tried to fight it even though it hurt her heart terribly.

"You're stringing my baby brother along! That's my fucking problem! You are going to break his heart!" Kankuro yelled now, and she felt like she was in danger. If he were anyone else she would have punched him and called it a day, but she cared about the puppet master. So she let herself become small, because she had no clue what else she could do.

"I don't want to hurt him." Sakura felt hot tears form in her eyes, and guilt swallow her whole, but it didn't deter the protective older brother in the least.

"Oh you don't want to hurt him? Bullshit, Sakura. You don't give a damn about his feelings!" He spat hotly.

"I do! I care for him!" Her body shook as the tears escaped her. She didn't know if she could breathe. She felt like she was suffocating.

"Then what is the fucking issue?! Why don't you want to move further if you 'care' for him so much?!"

"BECAUSE I AM AFRAID!"

Silence. Nothing but silence, and she could feel his body heat so closely to her own, but it was invasive. Sakura felt like he was stealing the very air she breathed. Her head was dizzy, and she had been breathing improperly for too long allowing the panic to set in. Her outcry costed her, and her head landed on Kankuro's shoulder when she couldn't hold it up any longer. He didn't bristle like she thought he would, but rather he relaxed. It was odd. Perhaps it was like when two boxers got tired and held onto each other. Such a strange, yet comforting thing.

"You actually love him don't you?" Kankuro said carefully. When she felt her tears move further into the fabric on his shoulder she knew, and she wouldn't deny it, but she didn't think she could go through with it. "He's not Sasuke. You know he won't leave you, right?"

A part of her cracked.

The cry that left her body was that of someone who was dying, and she shook as her face distorted with pain.

"I can't! Kankuro, I can't do it again!" Sakura gripped into his upper arms, and dug her fingernails into him as if she were desperately clawing for life. The puppet master tensed before hesitantly hugging her. "It's too much! I can't feel that pain again! Not ever! I can't fucking do it! I lost every single piece of myself loving that man AND I CAN'T DO IT AGAIN!" She screamed into his shoulder, and held him far too tightly, but felt comforted when he tightened his own embrace. He supported her weight, and his defensive demeanor dropped immediately back into his loving brother type.

"Ssshh. Hey now, I'm sorry. I'm really sorry I'm just... I worry about my brother, and strangely I care about you a lot too." Kankuro tried to calm her, and she moved her face over to his chest to settle her screaming back into a normal mourning sound. "It was wrong for me to bully you like that, and I understand your reasoning now. I get it. That person unmade you, and you had to pick up those shattered pieces by yourself. Im so sorry, Sakura."

"He wants to kill me, and all I ever did was care for him. I bended any way he wanted, and I wasn't enough. I wasn't enough, and he made me feel like it was my fault after I had tried so fucking hard!" She started to hyperventilate again. "When I l-l-love s-someone th-th-they dis-ssap-pear a-and I'm l-left alo-o-one... I b-break all a-a-alone..."

It was too much. The flooding memories of Sasuke Uchiha and his undeterred rage burned her. She felt sick when she imagined his disdained face when he would look at her. She had cared so much for him...and he hated her.

"It's okay now. You're not alone anymore. It's okay. You're safe here. Ssshh, no more pain. No more pain." Kankuro rocked her slightly, as if he were soothing a small child, and Sakura really felt like a hurt child at that moment, but the feeling started to fade and that was all that mattered. She wanted that feeling gone. Her breathing started to normalize, and she sank into the movement letting it lull her to a more peaceful state. She decided she wouldn't pull away until he did. "There, that's better. Did you let it all out?"

Sakura nodded against his shirt, and kept her eyes closed, but she continued to hold on for need of another human being at that second in time. It wasn't really appropriate, but he felt like a father or a big brother. She felt safe, and he let her stay that way for as long as was necessary.

She was so calm that she didnt hear the footsteps storming up beside her, and it wasn't until her body hit the ground did she realize that she had made a terrible mistake.

Gaara was there, and he had shown up at the wrong time only to see Kankuro and Sakura in a very tight embrace. He looked absolutely frightening.

"Gaara NO!" Was all she could scream out, but he couldn't seem to hear her with the blood rushing through his ears. How could this be happening?

"You fucking piece of shit! KANKURO!" Gaara didn't use his sand, not at all, and that was unheard of. This time he used his bare fists, and repeatedly punched his older brother in the face even as they fell to the ground. The noise he made was awful. Her heart stopped as she watched the furious kazekage's eyes go feral with rage.

"GAARA, STOP IT!" Sakura screamed fearfully as she got to her feet to run over to him. He still didn't seem to hear her. She needed him to hear her. She grabbed hold of his arm, and pushed him to the ground hard. "STOP! I DON'T LOVE HIM! I DON'T LOVE HIM!"

At first he turned to her with the intent to kill, but when she continued to scream 'I don't love him' his face started to change. She didn't know why she was saying it, but it just kept coming out.

Like a vow.

"It was just a hug, I don't love him I swear!" Sakura started to sob wildly, and his expression changed yet again. He was confused, intrigued, and concerned. "It's not what it looks like! It's not like how it is with you! I don't love him!"

If one were to chisel the sentence they would find a confession, and Gaara chiseled the words until he had a statue. The redhead calmed, and stared at her like a deer in headlights. He looked over at his brother's bloodied face, and thankfully he didn't look upset about being punched repeatedly.

"I'm not banging your girl, Gaara. She was having a cry, and you know me with crying girls." When he laughed, blood started to spray from his mouth with each haw. It horrified all participants.

Thank God it was over.

"Forgive me, Kankuro. I shouldn't of assumed... is your face alright?" The young Kazekage was immediately business yet again. If there was one thing he did frequently, it was flip to professionalism on a dime.

"Yeaaah-no. I'm going to head to the medics. I think you broke my cheekbone." Kankuro felt the skin near the C-shape gash around his eye. Gaara had landed the punch so hard that it literally ripped the skin open surrounding the eye socket. Sakura watched as the younger grimaced at the result of his brash actions.

"I'm very sorry. I don't know what came over me... do you need me to walk you?" He attempted to help his older brother up off the floor, but was quickly swatted away.

"Take care of your girlfriend, Gaara. I'm fine, but I think she's a little shook up." She stiffened at the term, and when she looked back to Gaara he had the exact same demeanor.

"Its...not..." The redhead froze, trying hard to come up with something to say. Sakura simply chose to keep her mouth shut even while Kankuro gave a bloodied grin at both of them.

"Well, I say if you're sleeping with each other exclusively then you might as well be dating. Plus, she basically just said she loved you so-"

"Go to the medic, Kankuro!" She jumped up off the floor like water on a hot pan full of oil. When he saw her start approaching with intent to kill he gave a quick wave to his brother before hurrying out of there, his hand still holding his bloody nose one might add.

Sakura felt so tired, it was just too much in one day. She wanted to just cry her eyes out again, but her body was spent. She brought her hands to her head, and sat down in a chair near a bookshelf. She didn't care if Gaara was still in the room because she was far too embarrassed to look at him.

"I'm sorry, Sakura. If you want me to go-"

"No, stay with me." She spoke just above a whisper. When he shifted she could hear it, and she knew he was approaching her so carefully.

"I didn't know you were sad today..." He started.

"I didn't know I was either, but I guess it's been a long time coming." Sakura sighed before finally bringing her face up to look at him.

His eyes were sad, he was feeling empathy for her, and attuning himself to her wavelength. As much as she didn't want him to feel her pain, having him try to understand her was such a comforting feeling. It was as beautiful as it was awful.

"Gaara, how far are you wanting this to go?" Her eyes were locked on his, and he didn't waver. She knew the question would hit him hard, but he was so much stronger than she gave him credit for.

"As far as you're willing to go." He answered calmly, and gently. Her heart swelled with emotions that she had tried very hard to push away.

"So even if I was crazy, and just randomly asked you to marry me tomorrow, and demanded we rush right into making babies you would do it?" Sakura raised a curious eyebrow at him. As strange as the question was she still wanted him to be as honest as possible; even in the most mad of times.

He waited for a moment, and blinked owlishly at her. When he looked up and bit his knuckle pensively she started to feel on edge.

"I'd say..." Gaara paused. He brought his eyes back to her own, and stared at her deeply. "I think I'd be fine with it. To be honest."

"You're serious? No, you can't be-."

"Why would I lie about that?" He interrupted her sternly. She felt completely captured in his eyes.

"Boys lie so that they can get what they want from the girl." Sakura spoke almost mechanically, as if that part of her was brainwashed. He didn't wait for her to say anything else before closing the space between them to kneel in front of her.

"You want to get married? Let's go then. We can get married right now." Gaara grabbed her hands in complete seriousness. "If that proves that I'm here for you completely, then we can do it."

"You'd end up hating me! I'd be a terrible wife!" She started to cry childishly, and funnily enough she didn't care anymore. "And there are much prettier girls than me! You just sleep with me because I was your first!"

"I have no desire to sleep with anyone else, and I never have." Still keeping his tone calm and cool he wiped away a stray tear from her cheek. "I like you. A lot."

"I like you too! That's why this sucks so much! I just want to love you but I can't because I can't trust anyone!" Sakura slammed her fists against her thighs. She was finding it easier to just tell him everything, and she was able to simplify her feelings into something he could understand.

Gaara froze when the word 'love' was brought up again.

"I feel similarly..." He looked around himself for a chair. When he spotted one he rose up to grab it then brought it back to his spot to sit before her. When he settled he reached for her hands to hold them again. "I'm going to tell you a story."

"ok." Sakura sniffled before giving him her full attention. This wasn't exactly normal for these types of conversations. When he took a few deep breaths she realized that he was probably going to talk about his past.

"You know that for the longest time I was feared and shunned by this village." He started, and she nodded in response.

"When I was small, maybe about five years old, I had an uncle I loved very much." He paused, but then regained his thoughts when she lightly squeezed his hand. "Everyone in the village feared me, but he treated me kindly. He was always there trying to teach me right from wrong, and he would care for me when no one else would. Not even my father gave me the attention a small child needed to survive. I was supposed to be a weapon, and nothing further."

Gaara took a breath before locking his eyes with Sakura's. When she gave him a weary smile he continued.

"There was one night when I was feeling utterly sad, and alone. One of our ninja had attacked me with the intent to kill." His eyes went to the floor. "I remember how large the moon was that night, and I could see everything so clearly. I had grown tired of people hurting me, and treating me cruelly so I had used my sand to kill this person."

He stopped. His eyes went wide for a moment.

"There was so much blood... I know I destroyed a lot of his organs, but I wanted him alive so I didn't crush him completely..." His hand squeezed hers, and she squeezed right back. This was incredibly painful for him, and she had to show him that it did not go unappreciated. "When I had removed his mask I had learned that it was my uncle, and he proceeded to feed me information I never wanted to hear. He told me that it was his job to kill me, and that he hated me for killing my mother. He told me that he had tried to love me, but could not. He told me that my mother was in my sand, and that it didn't protect me out of love, but out of rage and hatred for this land. He told me that I was the vessel for my mother's rage, and that she never loved me. He told me-."

"It's okay, Gaara. You don't have to tell it all. I know it hurts you to talk about this." Sakura spoke just above a whisper, and he stopped the story to catch the breath that had been leaving him since the story started. After breathing slowly, and gripping her hands gently, he started back up again.

"The only person in this world that I thought cared for me had betrayed me. Any love and comfort I had felt had been a lie. That was the only love I had ever recieved, and it was fake. My mind grew twisted at the fact that I needed to be loved and cared for, but that those needs could never be met by other people. I broke into a million pieces when I realized I was never loved to begin with, and when I reassembled those pieces I hated, and envied every single person on this planet. Because I couldn't have love, but I was still human, and humans need companionship in able to stay sane." Gaara shivered as the memory seemed to take over, and Sakura started to see the connection. The similarities of how they were betrayed by people they cared about, but his was on such an extreme scale that she couldn't even fathom how he felt now. "I needed love... so the word became etched into my skin from the sand. It was the first time I had bled. The first time I had felt physical pain."

'The first time he bled? The first time he felt physical pain?! I knew his sand protected him... but that is so extreme!' She was blown away. She was always curious about the kanji on his forehead, but now she felt awful about it after hearing his story. What happened to him was literal hell. True and simple.

"Gaara..." When his eyes locked back on her own she almost felt like crying all over again. "I get it. I get why you were how you were, and in all honesty if I had been in your shoes I would have murdered everyone." As dark as it sounded coming out of her mouth, she still believed it to be true.

"I almost did, and that's where the lesson is learned. Killing those people, and letting them feel my rage didn't fix my problem." When she stared at him in confusion, he continued. "Sakura, I wanted to be loved. When I went out of control it only pushed people further away when all I wanted was closeness. They were afraid of me from the moment I was born, and even though it wasn't my fault, in able to get people to understand me I had to be patient and teach them. I had to have patience, kindness, and forgiveness. I had to give love before I could receive it."

"But that isn't fair! You shouldn't have to carry all that weight!" Sakura wanted to fight this story, as if she could change it into a better one.

"I almost killed you once, do you want to know why?" Gaara spoke quietly, and it was obvious that he was treading over another painful memory. When she finally calmed herself she nodded her head. "At first, I was jealous over how you wanted to protect Sasuke. I was jealous of the love, and care he was recieving from you. Then I saw your eyes... they were stunning, and they were so similar to my uncle's. They still are, but I do not find them threatening anymore. If anything they are just what they initially were in the begining; beautiful, and yours."

They sat in silence, both looking at each other's hands as the held them together. It was all so much to ingest, but she had managed to retain it.

"So, even when we were younger you thought I was pretty huh?" Sakura gave a breathy laugh as she was too tired to give it sound.

"You were very beautiful, and it made me very angry. Puberty is strange that way." He smirked.

"Gaara, I think we both know that normal boys don't reach manhood by not sleeping and going on murdering sprees. Not to mentioning trying to crush the life out of the girl their interested in." She snickered, but squeezed his hand for good measure.

"I'm not a normal boy." Gaara raised his non-existent brows at her, and she proceeded to laugh at the gesture.

"Yeah you're definitely not a 'boy' anymore either. I made certain that you crossed that threshold." She wiggled her eyebrows back at him before giggling and reaching forward to touch his face. "Where are your eyebrows? That is so strange... I mean it looks fine it's just weird that you don't have any... do you shave them off?"

The young Kazekage blinked owlishly at the question, but then started to form a shy smile.

"The sand unfortunately rubs the hair off. I don't have any eyelashes either if you look closely." Gaara leaned forward so that she could get a better look.

"Oh my God! That's so weird! Is that why your skin is all soft too? What about your head hair?" Sakura was glad for this, she needed a break from the seriousness.

"Ah, different type of hair is less delicate. My head hair is jagged though because the sand likes to break it down after a while, body hair is generally pretty weak so that's gone. You should remember that my hair was quite short when we were younger. Truth is I have never had my hair cut, and it wasnt until after the chuunin exams that it started to grow longer since I had calmed down. When I am restless my sand tends to rub against me more, and my hair just seems to get roughed up by it." He absentmindedly rubbed at his own skin feeling for the hair that was absent.

"Uh, excuse me, but you have more then just head hair, sir." She cleared her throat before pointing so a certain southern place.

"That should be self explanatory." Gaara gave her a knowing glance. "Anything else about my appearance you'd like to know about?" He leaned back and crossed his arms with a smirk. At the moment she truly just wanted to keep staring at him, or have reasons to stare at him. He was such a stunning creature.

"Eyes. What's with them?" Sakura already knew the answer, but she enjoyed hearing him speak.

"Ah. Sleep deprivation causes the circles obviously, and if your wondering about my actual eyes I can see very well in the dark, and the light shines off the tapetum lucidum which normal humans don't have. I believe it is a tanuki trait. They are nocturnal hunters and gatherers." Gaara smiled, she could tell he was enjoying the quizzing despite it being about some of the very things people found discerning from him. The fact that his eyes literally glowed when light hit them was amazing.

"Do you have a lot of other tanuki traits?" She beamed with interest.

"Uh...well, I like a lot of the same foods as they do. I really enjoy berries, for one. Um... the moon makes me very excitable, which makes sense as the tanuki is also called a 'night wanderer', and is known to have frequent mischievous nighttime activity." He stopped to blush boyishly while she narrowed her eyes seductively, nodding slowly in agreement at his statement. "Yes...um...Spring is a really great season, but I'm very lethargic during winter. I think it has something to do with wanting to hibernate." When Sakura started to giggle at the thought of him hibernating he let a chuckle escape as well. "Yeah it's funny that I can't sleep, but I wish I could hibernate for winter."

"I wish you could hibernate too, I bet you're adorable when you sleep." She continued to laugh, but his died down.

"I'm really not adorable when I sleep...people tend to die if I do..." Gaara's face suddenly looked more tired than it did before, and her heart sank. She wished she could bring him some sort of peace. Especially after everything they had gone through, and everything she had learned.

She really did care about him, and from all he had told her she felt so much more connected to him. The pain of being unmade only to haphazardly put yourself back together, and fear that someone else might break you when in truth you just want someone to glue you in place.

She wanted him to have that, even more than she wanted it for herself.

"Do you love me?" Sakura seemed to just blurt out the question rather than thinking it through. When he looked at her in shock, she felt she knew the answer.

"If I say yes... are you going to run away?" He said just above a whisper, as if speaking any louder would frighten her away like a small rabbit.

"No. I won't go anywhere." She spoke just as quietly, but with a confidence that he could trust in. He waited a while before finally answering her.

"Yes. I do love you." Gaara made eye contact, and held her gaze like moth in a fire, but when the moment grew too long he decided to clear his throat. "I have to be very careful though, I know you're a bit skittish around the idea of love, but just so you know... tanuki are monogamous."

Sakura couldn't do it. She couldn't keep a straight face for the life of her, and she felt the laughs coming out of herself without consent. At least he seemed pleased about it since his grin got much bigger.

"It's true! I'm not lieing! We find a mate, keep said mate, and then we go and hibernate for winter together."

"Oh my God! Stop!" She almost snorted with laughter.

"It is true though. They actually do that." His smile was far too bright for this world, and she could have bathed in it.

"Okay, Gaara. Say that we mate-."

"I'd say we've already done that step, but I have no objections for another round." Gaara gave her a wicked grin, and she almost blushed. She would have to get him back later.

"Alright, smartass! We've mated, and now it's for life. What's next?" Sakura leaned forward onto her elbows with her chin propped in her hands. He leaned in as if to tell her a secret.

"Well, personally, there is this wonderful cave near the desert oasis. We could definitely make our nesting grounds there for the winter. Then we'll eat a great amount of food, and take a seasonal nap. Then we wake up for spring, and get twitterpatted during the mating season."

"Ah, I get why spring is your favorite season now." She interrupted him, and he opened his mouth to retort, but quickly shut it in defeat before continuing on with his future 'tanuki' plans. She had to restrain a giggle at his antics. "Okay, you had me at twitterpatted. Now what happens?"

"Ah... well... you... gestation?...um... little babies...tanuki puppies..." Gaara started to scratch behind his ear, and Sakura just lost it to her giggles. Soon he followed suit, and joined her in the laughter.

It was perfect. He didn't bring her down with his pain, but rather used it in an educational way. What had happened in his life no longer made him bitter because he found a use for it. Understanding. He filled her cup when she felt empty, and she hoped that somehow she filled his. He seemed happy. He was joking, and laughing, and smiling so brightly that the room didn't need windows or lamps because he was just that shiny.

Gaara really was too good for this world, and he deserved to be treated better than anyone on the planet.

"It's spring right now, you know. We didn't spend the winter together but we are fortunate that it's mating season." Sakura said it as casual as chatting about the weather. Well, technically she was talking about climate changes.

"Ah, see this is the time that tanuki actually find the mate. They don't fight for female affections, but rather they search each other out by scent." Gaara smiled sweetly, and her heart swelled at his words. "They stay together after they find each other, and when the winter arrives they sleep side by side. Keeping each other warm, and loved."

'Oh my God that is far too adorable.' Her heart fluttered.

"Do I smell good to you, my dear tanuki?" Sakura wiggled her brows suggestively, and the young Kazekage let out a laugh.

"You smell amazing. Sometimes I get dizzy from it, especially if you've gotten rained on, or have just had a shower. Your hair holds a lot of the scent, so when it's wet it just grows stronger."

"Oh ew, like a wet dog?" She sneered jokingly, and he played into it by acting offended.

"I'm sorry, but you do realise that tanuki are raccoon dogs right? We're part of the canine family." He narrowed his eyes accusingly. "I don't smell like a mutt when I get wet."

Sakura began to nearly fall over with laughter after that, and he definitely enjoyed watching her display.

"Gaara, I love this. I really do." She had to stop to wipe a tear from her eye, only this one was because of how hard she had laughed.

"I'm glad I could give you some happiness today." Gaara gave her another genuine smile, and she almost melted.

She really was in love him.

Sakura decided to take the dive, but in her own way. She didn't want to play games anymore, and she wanted him for a life companion. She wanted to stay with him for as long as her life would allow, and damnit she was going to live every day like it were her last.

"I'd like to sleep next to you come winter. I hope the offer still stands?"

His expression changed from a smile to a blush in a matter of seconds, but he didn't say anything. It wasn't the reaction she expected.

"Judging by your expression, I just asked you to marry me rather than confess my love for you. Sorry, I'm not fluent in tanuki yet." She attempted to joke the situation away, but he just continued to stare at her, and it was growing more intense the longer the silence lasted. She averted her eyes, unable to take it any more.

Maybe...She made a mistake in telling him.

"Sakura." Gaara whispered, and she lifted her eyes just in time for her to find his lips hovering above her own. When they landed it was so careful, and petal soft. He had never kissed her that gently, and it were as if to say 'this is how I will care for your heart'. That gentleness that came from years of hardship only to mold this man into the most beautiful of all people. A fallen angel redeemed and better for the wear.

She could trust in him.

Gaara broke away from her after a few moments to answer her properly. "I accept. You may stay in my den come winter...and every winter after that."

"Every winter?" Sakura glowed. She felt relief flood her, and she knew she wouldn't have to feel the fear of isolation ever again. He would be with her every step of the way.

"Yes. Every single winter." Gaara finished happily.

 **AN: review my babes, revieeeeeew. I dig it.**


	8. Chapter 8

**AN: Okay so timelines are a bit off, but I really don't care it's fanfiction not an essay LMAO.**

"What the hell did you do to Kankuro?!" Temari shouted as she stormed into Gaara's room determined to get an answer. When she saw Sakura sitting with him on his small couch a little too closely the sand kunoichi's face went through a range of expressions before resting on rage. "You need to stay away from him." She pointed at Sakura with an accusing finger, and Gaara was on the defense immediately.

"That is not your decision to make, Temari." The young Kazekage stood up to match her at eye level. His tone was stern and authoritative. "I was the one who put him in the hospital, she is not to blame."

"A witness claimed that you saw Sakura and Kankuro together, and lost it. I would say that makes it completely her fault." The blonde hissed at him through clenched teeth. It had been a long time since he had seen his sister so furious.

However, the fact that there was a witness now bothered him greatly. It was surely going to cause more problems, especially from the council.

"It was a misunderstanding, and I take full responsibil-"

"Gaara, they might deport her! Do you not understand? You are emotionally compromised by a ninja from another village!" Temari shouted desperately at him before turning to look at Sakura. "You have tangled my brother into a web that he should have never gotten into you stupid girl-child!"

"TEMARI!" His voice came out far more intimidating than he had meant it to, and his sister looked at him in shock. He closed his eyes, and breathed deeply in an attempt to calm himself. He was proving her point, and it didn't help his case if he let himself lose his cool. It was not Kazekage behavior. "I will handle it. Please, do not worry about me. I am fine. In fact, I am happier. I request that you don't invalidate my feelings, please."

"So, sleeping with her makes you happy then? Even when that's all it is? Surely you realize she doesn't lov-".

"I do love him, Temari." Sakura's voice was soft, but it rang true. She stood to join Gaara's side, and linked her hand with his. Even for her profession, her hands surprisingly weren't calloused. Instead they were soft, delicate, and warm. "I will accept responsibility for the trouble I have caused, but know that I do care for your brother. I love Gaara, and I plan on it staying that way."

Temari gaped at her declaration, and for a moment he thought he saw sadness wash over her, but she quickly hid it behind stone.

"You have to go back...to Konoha." His sister looked down bitterly, and for a moment he thought she would cry, but she never did. "I didn't want you to break his heart, and even if you do love him you won't be able to keep this relationship up. I would advise you both to put this behind you."

What did she mean by that?

"If she has to go back, that is fine. I have no qualms about waiting for her." Gaara spoke carefully as to not rile his sister up again.

"Gaara, you can't be with her. She's not one of our own, and the council will not have it." Temari spoke just above a whisper.

"The council does not own my body or my heart. If they plan on interfering I will fight them every step of the way." The young Kazekage argued, but when his sister's eyes met his own he felt guilty somehow.

"Even at the cost of our village? Your heart should be with your people not some leaf kunoichi." She said mournfully, but Gaara was not having it.

"This 'leaf kunoichi' saved our brother's life, brought greater health to our people, graciously shared her knowledge with our forces, and has cured our sick, wounded, and the broken. How is she a threat to us?! I see no malice from her or our ally, Konoha! The amount of gifts she has given to our cause, and our people should be more than enough to solidify her allegiance!" His voice began to raise, but it wasn't stern like before; it sounded desperate. Sakura squeezed his hand showing him that she appreciated his sentiment.

"The council won't care, Gaara! She's not one of us!" Temari argued, but it was obvious that she had no intention to hurt either of them anymore.

He had to do something, and fast. He needed to fight for Sakura to stay.

"I will arrange citizenship for her, and I will marry her to solidify it." Gaara had said it without thinking it through, and when the two women gaped at him incredulously he began to blush. It was a brash decision, but he honestly couldn't think of any other way to fight the council on it. If he wanted her to stay, and be with him romantically, then he'd have to skip the dating phase. He turned to look at Sakura hesitantly, and she was locked onto him wide eyed. "Uh...forgive me. I shouldn't make decisions like that without speaking with you first-"

"It's fine, I accept anyways." She looked away from him shyly.

Now it was his turn to be in shock.

"You're accepting his proposal?! Are you serious?! Sakura, you've only been here for two months! Not to mention seeing my brother for a little less than one! How can you just say yes like that?! It's irresponsible!" Temari lost it. Anything she had been holding back before was coming out now, and it showed in every way. From her voice to her demeanor she had proven thoroughly that she disagreed with them. "I don't support this, Gaara! You are making a mistake!"

"You are one to talk, Temari! I know you're up to something with Shikamaru, and wouldnt you know? He's a leaf ninja! I wonder how the council will feel about that?!" Sakura started to get riled up now, and the young Kazekage bristled at the new information.

"What?" He blinked dumbly.

"I am not Kazekage, Sakura. It doesn't matter if I'm with him or not!" His sister took a step forward as if to challenge the other kunoichi.

"Wait..." He stuttered.

"You are still in the line of succession, Temari. If you have a son, and Gaara doesn't, then your child would be the next Kazekage! You think the council wouldn't be on edge about that?! About you birthing the children claiming lineage to the Nara family of the village hidden in the leaves?! You are just angry that I got your brother to open up when you, his sister, could not!" The pink haired kunoichi took two steps forward, breaking out of Gaara's grip. "You are the pot calling the kettle black, and I feel for Gaara more than I ever did for Sasuke. The sick thing was, I would have died for Sasuke. So what do you think I would do for Gaara?!"

The room went silent, but her voice echoed off the walls, and in his mind.

Once he had hated Sasuke. Hated that he was loved by the people around him, but the guy was too hung up on vengeance to even notice. He hated him for not appreciating the one thing Gaara had wanted more than anything. Love.

But now, he had no clue how to feel. Gaara had seen Sakura nearly sacrifice herself for Sasuke, in fact one particular time she was protecting the Uchiha from Gaara himself. She had gotten injured in that battle, and he had almost killed her.

Now she was claiming that she would do that for him, and more. He almost couldn't believe it.

"Sakura, let's leave. I think we should go for a walk. Get some fresh air." He said it mechanically, as if his mind couldn't fathom reality at the moment. Which in all honesty, it couldn't. Sakura nodded silently before taking his outstretched hand. He hadn't even realized he had reached out for her, but subconsciously he had. Temari was flushed, both from a blush as well as the left over anger that was now leaving her. They walked past her with their heads down, and no one made eye contact. It was just known between the three of them, that the conversation was over.

He knew Temari was unhappy about it, that she was scared for his heart, and that she cared for him a great deal. She wanted to protect her baby brother, but he was a tough son of a bitch who walked tall, and proud as the Kazekage. He knew the risks, he knew the sacrifices, and Sakura had known that too.

He stopped in the middle of the hall, and she squeezed his hand lightly.

"What's wrong?" Sakura asked worriedly, and he breathed in the air around him. For once feeling real life fill him. He was higher than he had ever felt before. Gaara had felt different highs: one for killing, one for being in charge, one for an exerting fight, one for the happiness of family, one for the happiness of friendship, one for his role of Kazekage, one for the love from his people, one for sex, and one for the love he felt for Sakura. The love he recieved from her made him feel like he was walking on air.

"I love you, Sakura." Gaara said just above a whisper before he turned around to face the woman of his interest, and she was flushing a bright shade of pink.

"Hey, you can't just go and say it like that..." Sakura smiled, and looked away from him shyly.

"But it's true, and it's too overwhelming to not say it right now." He put his hands on her shoulders holding her at arms length so he could truly lock eyes with her. "I don't think I've ever felt more alive than I do when I'm with you. You make me feel like I am flying and grounded at the same time, and that is incredible."

His heart was completely stolen by this woman, and he did not mind her keeping it. No matter what happens now, he new he would always love her.

"You always say the most lovely things, and the funny part is I don't think you realize how much of a romantic you are, Gaara. You'd be good at writing romance novels!" She began to laugh but then stopped when he held her flush against him in a tight embrace.

"Stop joking around, Sakura, I can't lose you." Gaara trembled, and her arms slowly snaked their way around him.

"I know. I can't lose you either." Sakura burried her faced into his chest, and sighed. "It's just...going to be tough. I know my friends are going to feel gyped when I tell them I'm moving to Suna."

He subconsciously tightened his grip, and he felt his heart race at her comment. She was really going to do it. She was going to stay.

Gaara finally had what he always needed. He had true love.

-...-...-...-

The air in his lungs had left him due to the constriction around them, and his heart felt like it was going to implode. He grasped at the fabric covering the area, and sensation reminded him of how he felt when he lost Yashimaru.

He felt like shattered glass scattered in all directions without hope of gathering up the intricate broken pieces, let alone fitting them back together.

"Do you understand, Lord Kazekage Gaara? You cannot marry her, and she cannot stay here. You are legally bound to someone else." A voice amongst his council spoke sternly at him, but he was too distraught to know who it was.

An arranged marriage. He had been contracted to someone else, and breaking that contract would have dire consequences. So in essence, now he had to chose between Sakura, and his people.

This was sickening. His stomach churned painfully, and he felt like he was going to vomit.

"Heh, well there is an exception. You could keep as a concubine, but she'd have to live exclusively in this building, and under constant surveillance. Any chance of someone else inpregnating her would be unacceptable, and any child she bore would have to bare your name, so she wouldn't be able to be a ninja or a doctor anymore. Most women won't lower themselves that much. It's horribly degrading." Someone else spoke, and he felt the bile rise to the back of his throat, but he swallowed it back down.

"So my life...has never been my own. Has it?" Gaara tensed even more, and he didn't know if he was getting any circulation to his limbs anymore.

"No, it really hasn't. You are the son of a powerful line of kage, and you need to accept that fact." One of the eldest members said cruelly. "Also, Ms. Haruno is to be ejected immediately after this conference. She'll be tested for a possible pregnancy, but after that it cannot be risked. It would void the contract you have with the marriage, and that would cause a devastation. You should be thankful we caught this early on less a bastard be bor-"

"Oh shut up you heartless asshole!" Kankuro had just entered the meeting, and he didn't like what he was hearing. "And stop talking about Sakura and Gaara like they were animals! Who in the fuck arranges marriages?!"

"You're father. Rasa. For a peace treaty." The elderly man answered venomously.

Gaara watched as his brother's hands shook with rage, but he did not stop him. Secretly, he wished his brother would jump over the table, and beat the utter life out of all of them. He had to reason that it was Shukaku's influence on that thought, rather than admitting darkly that it was his own.

"Fuck the treaty! Gaara and I can take out an army without anyone's help!" Kankuro spat.

"Kankuro. That's enough." He placed his now cold hand on his brother's shoulder, and the puppet master stilled. He looked at Kankuro in defeat, and his brother had never seemed so sad. "It's done. I thank you for coming to my defence, but it is over. I...cannot risk the lives of my people...for my own selfishness in love. That is the sacrifice I must make, and my life is in the hands of Suna. It always has been."

"Gaara...no I won't let you live like this...you have sacrificed enough for this country." Kankuro was on the verge of tears, but his resolve was strong.

Yet, he did something Gaara would never have expected.

"I would like to marry Sakura Haruno of the village hidden in the leaves, but she will bare no child of mine."

The audible gasp was unanimous throughout the room. Even Gaara fell into complete shock.

"That is absurd! You would marry the woman your brother has had relations-"

"Yes, but she will bare no child from me." He stood strong, and Gaara realized that he was sacrificing his future for him.

"Kankuro, I won't let you do that." He said it sternly, but his brother remained unphased.

"Gaara, I won't touch her. I swear on it." Kankuro argued, but Gaara grabbed him roughly by the arm to pull him close enough to whisper.

"That isn't what I'm worried about. You can't sacrifice any chance at love for my-"

"I can, and I will. You can't stop me and I will get Sakura on board just you watch." He gave him a reassuring grin that he would have felt comforted by had it not been for the council's interruption.

"That plan is faulty, Kankuro, as here in Suna the marriage is not legal binding until it is consumated. So, yes, you'd have to perform intercourse." The elderly man said in a snarky tone, and both brother's faces grimaced. "Nice try, but you'll have accept the facts."

"Fuck you, fuck the facts, fuck this contract, fuck this council-!"

"Enough, Kankuro!" Gaara barked at his brother, and everyone immediately settled. "It's okay, just... take her back to Konoha... tell her to forget about me."

"But-"

"NO. THIS CONVERSATION IS OVER." His voice came out so firmly that it shook him personally, as well as everyone in the room.

Gaara couldn't do it. For the first time in his life he absolutely needed to be alone, and he turned tail to swiftly walk out of that room. He wanted so badly to run, but he simply walked as quickly as he could.

He was going to snap. He was going to break. He was going to crumble like a clay statue after it had dried out in the sun.

He was going to cry.

Gaara finally made it to his room, opened and closed the door as fast as it could on its thick hinges, and slammed his back against it. It was starting, and he couldn't stop it. He brought his hand to his eyes to try to hold the tears behind it, but they slipped through his fingers. Sliding to the floor in defeat, he outwardly sobbed. His breath heaved, and a strangled noise escaped him.

His sand came up to protect him as warm arms embraced him from the front, but stopped just before hurting the person who held him so lovingly. He didn't know she was even there, and now she had seen him at his most vulnerable. Completely broken.

"Gaara, I'm so sorry." Sakura breathed near his ear, and his breath quaked at the sound of her voice. "I should have never approached you. You wouldn't feel this way if I had. I never meant for you to feel pain. I'm so sorry."

She was so warm, soft, and perfect. He breathed in her scent as greedily as he could. He memorized her like a song, and attempted to get the tune forever perfected in his mind.

"Don't...don't apologize. You have given me a great gift, and I will always remember and cherish it." He could feel her holding back her own tears, but she stayed strong and let him mourn for the both of them.

All he could do was cry, and burn her into his heart, and he continued to do this for as long as was possible.

When Kankuro had come to retrieve her he had felt death inside him, and when she gave him one last glance before leaving her face blurred with his tears. He couldn't get a perfect last glance in due to his damned eyes.

Gaara screamed.

She was gone.

 **AN: Drama llamaaaaa! This story is close to finished I feel, but I have some other shorties I might be putting out rather soon. I'm literally writing close to 5 or 6 stories at the moment haha, but I want to make sure I get them cohesive and a good plot before putting them out. I'm not one to make an outline before I write, but rather I think up a little diddy and start jotting away. Unfortunately, I have severe ADHD so good luck keeping any story or thought on track lol.**

 **Anyways more Gaara stories to come, as well as some Hiei/Botan stories I've been playing around with. Might make a Gaara/Kakashi one, but I have never written a straight up yaoi romance so that might be beyond me. How do we feel about a Gaara/Kakashi pairing? It' different and I feel like both characters have a lot of respect for each other, and great leadership skills so it would make it interesting to say the least. I also feel they are both switchers, not too dominant or submissive, so that would be interesting as well. I dunno let me know how y'all feel about it in the reviews. I read them all so don't be shy lol.**


	9. Chapter 9

.

Thinking back, Gaara could admit that his luck in love had not been great.

His romance with Sakura; beautiful, perfect, and yet stolen from him. She was back with Sasuke, but the man was absent for the majority of the time. He was wandering to atone, and Sakura had decided to wait for him much to the redhead's disappointment.

Gaara's arranged marriage turned out poorly as the woman was already involved with someone else. He felt for her situation greatly even though she had tried to kill him; so he helped fake the woman's death. She, and her lover now live a quiet life in Konoha. He knew Sakura must have heard about it, but she never contacted him. Even during the war when they would cross paths she treated him as if their romance never happened.

That hurt him deeply, but he imagined that she kept her distance either to not cause him trouble or she did it out of fear of another heartbreak. He couldn't blame her, but where she had Sasuke, he had no one.

He missed her greatly, even after years of distance, and no communication. Even now as he sat quietly in his office he would thumb through his papers, and his mind would wander to her. Choosing his people over her was the hardest thing he ever had to do, and that shamed him as a kazekage. He was also ashamed of letting his heart go to the foreign kunoichi in the first place.

Yet, if he could have her back for just five minutes he would do whatever it took to have just that meager amount of time with her. He signed, and eyed his papers with a lost feeling in his chest, but a soft rap at his door brought his attention back to reality.

"Lord Gaara, I brought you some tea." Matsuri poked her head through the slightly open door, and he smiled at his former student. She walked carefully with the tray, and she set it down on his desk with a relieved sigh before pouring the tea from the pot to his favorite cup. Ironically, the cup had cherry blossoms on it. "You seem a bit off today sir, is everything okay?"

He looked up to see her staring right at him. Her dark eyes were large, and doll like, much like the pretty porcelain dolls they had in Konoha. They always dressed them in such colorful kimonos. Matsuri would make a perfect life sized version. Perhaps he should get her a kimono for her birthday or one of Suna's gift giving holidays.

"Lord Gaara?" She waved her small hand in front of his eyes, and he blinked instinctively.

"Ah, sorry. My mind has been wandering as of late." The redhead stirred some honey into his spiced tea, and inhaled its warm aroma before sipping at it.

"Oh, I see." Matsuri eyed him curiously before sitting on an empty space on his desk.

'That's a bit forward...' Gaara thought curiously, and noticed that with her sitting at that level he could see that her skirt was quite short. The way her stockings cut off at her mid thighs also led the eyes astray. When he finally tore himself away from her shapely legs to look at her face he noticed that she was staring off into into the distance.

The young woman hadn't meant to give him a view at all, she was merely a free spirit sitting casually on his desk. He mentally scolded himself for eyeing her in such a demeaning way.

"Do you want to talk about it? I know I'm not your best or brightest shinobi, but I do care about you. I know I'm a bit of a fangirl of yours too, but I love you for more than just being Kazekage. You're my sensei, and you're my friend." Matsuri smiled warmly to herself, and Gaara had to do a mental double take.

"Did you... did you just say you love me?" The question came out sounding a bit incredulous rather than curious, and he watched as the kunoichi's brown hair literally stood on end atop her head. She looked a bit pale as well.

"Ah ha ha...ha...haa..." Matsuri gave the most nervous laugh he had ever heard in his life, and he knew then that his pupil had more than just a simple crush on him.

Gaara had known about the young women that fawned over him, and he wouldnt lie and say he didn't find it flattering. However, he wasn't one to just sleep around; as was obvious by the fact that Sakura had been his first, and last.

But Sakura was gone, and she wasn't coming back. Perhaps it was time to change that fact. He needed to feel better, and finally fill the void she left inside of him.

"Matsuri, did you know that tanuki mate for life?" The young kazekage sipped politely at his tea, but continued to watch as the girl bristled. She shifted nervously, and her short skirt skimmed just the slightest up her thigh to reveal more skin. She wasn't consciously teasing him, but he gave a small smile none the less.

"N-no...I didn't kn-know that..." Matsuri stumbled on her words, and a blush started to form beautifully on her cheeks. Her hands went to her lap to grip nervously at the fabric that just kept going further up. The fact that she had no clue what she was doing made the act innocent, but he wanted to taint that innocence with every fiber of his being.

"Well, when in the wild they do. However..." Gaara decided to place the cup down gently, but even at the incredibly soft clinking sound she still managed to jolt. Her awkwardness was still so cute, and he felt almost antsy sitting in his chair thinking about it. He pushed his chair back to rise, and watched carefully as every muscle in her body tensed. Her body must have instinctively known what he wanted, but her brain was in denial. Still keeping silent he walked over to the window to look out at the city below him to give her a teasing amount of space. "In captivity, things go a bit differently."

"In captivity?" Her voice stabilized with genuine interest, and he felt himself growing smug at the fact that she would always hang on his every word. Matsuri was always a good student, but the fact that they were so close in age made their relationship a bit different. He had considered her more of a friend than a pupil, and was more than willing to cross the line into benefits even with her thinking of him as her sensei.

"In captivity the tanuki takes multiple mates. I assume it is because they aren't free to live their own lives, so they have to find happiness somewhere. Having multiple females at the male's digression would most likely make him feel a bit more comfortable with such confinement. Wouldn't you agree?" The redhead turned around to face her with a smile that danced on the line of genuine, and snarky. Her doll like eyes had widened considerably, and her blush had turned a bright red. Oh he loved this, now he understood where Sakura got off on this sort of behavior. "Matsuri, I asked you a question."

"Eh! Uh! Yes! Yes, I think...he would...multiple females... happy tanuki..." Matsuri visibly shivered, and pushed herself off of his desk. Even though he had initially wanted her to stay in her previous position her newfound anxiety gave him pleasure to no end. She wrung her hands shyly, and looked anywhere except at him. He felt like a wolf about to grab the female by the scruff of her neck before diving into her. The game was beginning to become a lot of fun now, and he surmised that flirting to fluster would most likely be a new favorite past time from here on out.

"As you know I was the jinchuriki for shukaku, the one tail tanuki. I thought that I would have a mate for the rest of my days, but then I quickly realized that my life is not my own, and it never has been. The woman I loved disappeared, and as such the possibility of having a singular mate for life has changed." Gaara spoke gently, and took a few steps towards her. She stiffened with great intensity, and he almost let a smile slip out. "I have been kept in captivity for a while now, but I haven't chosen any new mates. However, humans are a bit different as they can be monogamous or polygamous, but by today's cultural standards polygamy is frowned upon. I wonder though, if that concept could be bended with the right women..." He reached for her hair to rub the soft brown locks between his index finger, and thumb. She inhaled sharply, and he couldn't contain his smirk any longer.

"My L-Lord... are y-you...p-p-propositioning me?" Matsuri was shaking like a leaf in a hurricane, and he revelled in how she reacted to him. He looked into her doll-like eyes with great intensity, and smiled.

"That's wildly innapropriate." His eyes narrowed suggestively, and he let the lock fall from his fingers to swish against her flushing cheek. At first she had turned as red as the very hair on top of his head, but then her brows furrowed at his answer with confusion.

"Innapropriate it may be, but you haven't answered my question..." She gave a slight innocent pout, and he felt like running his thumb over her lower lip, but he kept his hands to himself. However, his fingers did twitch a few times with anticipation.

"It would be wrong for me to do that." Gaara cracked a half smile, and the woman in front of him blushed again before becoming frustrated.

"Lord Gaara, that doesn't answer my question either." Now she really started to pout, only this time like a child, and he couldn't contain the small laugh that bubbled out of him.

"I told you it was wildly innapropriate, and that it would be wrong for me-"

"But that doesn't mean you won't do it. You've broken rules before so innapropriate, and wrong doesn't apply to you." Matsuri crossed her arms sternly, and he was reminded almost of Sakura, and how she never let him or his title stop her from being so firey. He leaned away from the kunoichi with a raised, but still hairless brow.

"It sounds like you're expecting me to ask you, but I don't ask for things like that." Gaara replied smartly, and watched with humor as she heated up in many different ways. Mostly with embarrassment, but partly in anger.

"No, I suppose you wouldn't have to with all the horned up girls around here. They probably get in position the second you enter a room." She scoffed bitterly. "They probably ask you for it rather than the other way around."

Oh he felt something dangerous rise up in him that he hadn't felt in a very long time. That wild instinct to rough up the woman in front of him ran through his body like a freight train.

"Hmm...not quite what I was getting at." The redhead smirked darkly, and he witnessed her bristle again. She uncrossed her arms to let them hang lifelessly at her sides, and her gaze widened in disbelief.

"What?" Matsuri blinked like a doe, and he closed the distance to put his hands on either side of her on the desk; trapping her in. She inhaled harshly with shocked eyes, and every muscle inside of her tensed. He could tell her pulse was hammering in her chest as he let his body mold against her own, but she didn't push him away.

"I was pretty clear in saying that I don't ask..." He reached up to play with her hair again, and leaned forward to whisper huskily in her ear. "I. Don't. Ask. ...I take."

When Matsuri whimpered his name he knew he had already won her approval, and wasted no time in hoisting her back onto his desk. Her neck became his mouth's instrument, and her body his hand's playground. The small skirt had hosted a bounty covered in pastel pink cotton underwear, and he took it greedily away from her. Her flower was already wet, and ready to be plucked.

Well, perhaps not plucked, but the word he was really rolling around in his head at least rhymed with 'plucked'. He let out a breathy laugh against her jugular before sucking it hard, and she bucked against him like an animal trying to not be tamed.

Oh, but he was indeed taming her, and he swore he would have her trained in less than a week.

"Gaara sensei!" She whined as his hand slid against her folds in an attempt to get her even more riled, and she did not disappoint when she rolled her hips while begging him for more. He would not disappoint her either. He thrusted three fingers inside of her, and she mewled like a kitten as he pumped the sounds out of her. She angled her hips up for a better access, and he answered her by making quick work with his hand. She cried out, and he could feel her tense tightly around the digits as she came. It was so fast, and he wasn't expecting her to be like a cocked gun, but he accepted it with a smile knowing he could have her that much sooner.

Matsuri had a stamina that returned quickly, as merely thirty seconds after she had climaxed she was already pulling at the belt on his pants. If she could really keep up with his type of energy than this could end up being more dangerous than he initially thought. The idea of many hours passing in this office without either of them leaving, and the door thoroughly locked came to mind.

Lost in his thoughts, the kunoichi had already released him, and had placed him at her entrance. He shook some blood back to his head before diving into her heat. She whined sharply, and practically wrapped her long legs around him. She felt hot, tight, and positively dripping with her own essence. Those legs that had teased him before quickly became his handles, and he locked one hand firmly on her smooth backside while the other held on fast just above the knee. He thumbed at her thigh high stocking and inhaled the girl's young sugary aroma. He gave careful thrusts at first to judge how she would react to him; she purred, and mewled ecstatically with every move he made. Her lithe body slithered in his arms as she tried to match his tempo, and he enjoyed her enthusiasm greatly. Everytime her body would move he could feel it, every inch of her heat rubbing against him begging for more.

Gaara bit her earlobe, and moaned as he moved into her. He gripped her hips hard, and she cried out his name erotically making him go at her with more strength. Sometimes longer whines were accompanied by short whimpers, and her body almost bounced with how much pressure he had now put into his hips. He didn't know if he was hurting her or not, but she didn't sound in pain at all. She sounded like she was completely lost to her lust, and instincts. Her arms swiftly wrapped around his neck, and one of her hands clawed almost painfully into his hair, but it only put more gasoline on the fire. He practically broke the desk with the way that he fucked her.

He wanted it to be different this time. Different from how he would be with Sakura, and he got what he wanted. He plowed into his student with fervour, and felt like a completely wild animal.

Gaara bit her neck, and Matsuri climaxed hard around him. It was so intense that he swore she was trying to milk him for every last drop of whatever he had inside. It was too much, but he let himself go since he had already gotten her to where he had initially wanted. He let out a harsh curse before pulling out to release on her thighs, and now sensitive groin. His body felt white hot, and he closed his eyes to really take the sensation in. The pulsing of release was a good amount, and he let himself relish in that old forgotten feeling. He was coming down but that high was still there, and he felt relaxed for the first time in a long while. He breathed long, and deep breaths to bring his heart rate back down.

It wasn't her, but this would do. He just wanted to feel better. He just wanted to feel good again. This was enough to get him through his current loneliness. This was enough.

"Lord Gaara?" The kunoichi took a tissue to wipe away his fluid from her thighs and the area between them, but he noticed and quickly took over the job much to her embarrassment.

"Hmm?" He didn't look at her, but he cleaned her carefully knowing that he probably made her very sensitive and/or sore. He felt a bit of guilt sink in.

He did care for Matsuri, and she was very beautiful. He couldn't love her like he had Sakura, but she could at least fill part of the void, and he knew that she would let him. The fact that she would let him do this, and more gave him a sour feeling, but if she'd never say no than he wouldn't either.

"We're still friends right?" Matsuri blushed while looking away from him, and he smiled gently. She already realized what this was, and that was good. It made his guilt lessen.

"Of course." The redhead tossed the tissue, and then readjusted himself before going to grab her underwear that he had happened to nearly throw across the room.

"Are we still friends... if I ask you to do that again?" Her voice wavered, and he stilled just before grabbing her garment off the floor. He knew she had stamina, but this was unexpected. Unexpected, but it had his pulse thrumming with excitement.

"Matsuri..." Gaara breathed steadily, preparing himself. He wasn't going to regret this decision; not if he wanted to make his life more fulfilling. No regrets. "Turn around...and bend forward..."

This wasn't just going to be a hobby; oh no; this was probably going to turn into a lifestyle. The tanuki instinct was strong, and wild.

May the captivity continue.

-...-...-...-...

Sleeping was strange, and dreaming was strange. Even after some years without Shukaku, the act of sleeping was still so odd.

He had dreamt that Sasuke had died, and that Sakura had come back to him. He hadn't felt that yearning for her in a long time. It would come back when he'd hear news of her or when he'd see her in Konoha, but not when he was in Suna. Not when there wasn't influence.

Gaara looked to his left to find Yukata sleeping curled up next to him, then to his right to find Matsuri in almost the same position. He remained stoney, knowing that no matter how many women he slept with they didn't replace the one woman he wanted most. Their affection was appreciated, and sometimes he would dote on them to see them smile. They were wonderful friends, but nothing more. His heart did not swell when their names were spoken to him.

He felt so alone, even though he was surrounded by people who loved him.

A firm knock at the door took him out of the recesses of his mind. He recognized the chakra signature, and groggily beckoned his brother in.

"He sorry to distu-" Kankuro stopped mid entrance with his eyes wide. "Ah, sorry I... didn't realize you had company."

"Its no matter. Please continue." Gaara replied nonchalantly, as if the two naked women in his bed weren't even there. The  
puppet master blinked at him incredulously before continuing.

"You have some visitors from the leaf, and yeah you're going to want to see them. Get dressed." With a stern nod of his head Kankuro retreated, and closed the door behind him. Gaara glared at the door.

"Who in the hell is beckoning me at this time of the night? From Konoha no less..." He mumbled to himself before maneuvering around his two bedmates. They both stirred, and groaned, but he paid them no mind as he went about readying himself to meet his unexpeced guests. By the time he was done dressing himself in casual clothing he looked at himself in the mirror with distaste.

He looked just like his father, Rasa, and he didn't know if he liked that fact at all.

-...-...-...-

"Do you have any idea what time it is?" The redhead growled as he opened the door to his office, but froze completely solid at the sight in front of him.

It was Sakura accompanied by a small child. The child had dark hair, and even darker eyes; no doubt she belonged to the Uchiha. As he looked between the toddler, and his former love interest he realized that they too looked similar.

Ah, of course. The child had to be both of theirs.

"I'm sorry to disturb you, Gaara, especially after-" Sakura began but was cut short by him moving past her towards his desk.

"It's no problem. I hadn't been told that it was you who sent for me. Had I known I wouldn't be in this foul of mood." Gaara turned once he got to his chair, and gave her a broken smile. "It's good to see you. I never thought I would see you in this room again."

"Neither did I, but I had no choice." She said it almost sternly, and he winced at how cold she sounded. He looked back to the child in her arms who was trying very hard to stay awake.

"Your daughter I presume?" He attempted to move the conversation forward, and decided he wanted a closer look at the child in question. He circled the desk, and approached them both. Sakura seemed to be comfortable with it, and turned her body so that her daughter could be better seen.

"Yes, her name is Sarada. Sarada, say hello to my friend, Gaara." Sakura bounced the girl slightly, and the little one gave a large yawn. It was so cute that the Kazekage couldn't help but smile.

"She's beautiful. I believe she gets that from her mother?" He raised his non existent brows suggestively, and thankfully the kunoichi had a good laugh.

"You had better behave now, Lord Kazekage, I know how you are with the ladies." Sakura giggled, and the redhead stood up straight at the comment with a look of shock gracing his features. "Temari...she's told me what you've been up to the last time she was here. She's not happy about it. She also asked me to talk to you about that."

"It's none of her or your business. She already overstepped her bounds with me, and you. Now you want to do that as well? Spare me, Sakura, you've already proven how much you really care." Gaara spat bitterly, and the kunoichi had to take a step back just to evade his aura of distaste.

"Gaara, I couldn't come back here. I was forbidden by your council. They made that clear even after your arranged marriage failed." Sakura looked downcast, and her shoulders slumped painfully with defeat, but he wasn't buying it.

"Really? I'm pretty sure you had already gotten back into it with Sasuke soon after the war. Don't lie to me." He crossed his arms sternly, but scolded himself as his father used to do the same thing when he was angry.

"I was told we could never have a future together, so I moved on. Don't shame me for trying to be happy after your country broke my heart!" She barked at him, and his temper flared unable to truly ingest what she had said.

"You don't think that I was broken?! After all the times I met up with you afterwards you practically shunned me! Like I was some sort of monster!" Gaara snapped, and turned to shove the papers on his desk to the floor with a snarl. He couldn't see her face, but he could hear her breathing intensify. "I am still broken! After all this time I am still trying to fill the hole you ripped out of my chest! I feel empty! I still love you!"

"Part of me still loves you too, Gaara." She said it just above a whisper, and he turned around to face her with tears threatening to break free from his eyes. When her expression mirrored his own he felt his heart drop. "That's why...we couldn't be friends... because I am his woman now. I have bared his child, and I tend a home for Sasuke to return to. I can't leave him... He has no one. No one..." Her tears fell, and he realized something very important.

She had sacrificed just as much as he had. Though Sasuke now confided in her like a wife, he left her alone to tend to his child and home. The redhead knew she didn't want that life. She wanted a happy, and whole family with a dedicated partner. She wanted to be with him, Gaara, but she couldn't in good conscience leave Sasuke, who had no one. The man who had trusted her enough to have his children. It was a twisted triangle with no way out for anyone, and they all had their parts to play.

"I'm sorry, Sakura. I overreacted, forgive me. I'll do whatever it is you ask of me." Gaara straightened, and turned fully to face her. "You know that I will."

The room stayed silent, and he waited for her tears to dry. He wanted so badly to hold her, and to tell her that everything would be fine. That he was here to care for her, and Sarada. He would take the child gladly as his own knowing that she held a part of Sakura inside her. He would love both of them if the kunoichi would let him, but he knew that would never happen.

"Sasuke... has gone missing." Sakura started, and it made Gaara cringe. Just the mention of the man made him strangely sick. "We can usually keep contact with him somehow, but this time its different. He had sent out a warning how he believed he was being followed, and that was the last we heard of him. His last message was from here... in your territory." She looked emotionlessly down at the floor, and he felt genuine pity for her. He didn't want her to be a single mother, or for her child to grow up without her original father present. The redhead also knew that Naruto would also be heartbroken if the Uchiha turned up dead. He couldn't let them down.

"Show me on our map where the last message was sent. We'll get a search started after you debrief me." Gaara spoke confidently, and he watched with a bittersweet feeling as his past lover's expression changed into one of hope.

He would find the Uchiha, no matter what; for Sakura.

 **AN: Yeah, that's some rough shit right there. Anywho, I've got a rather dramatic 'Asylum' fanfiction for y'all coming soon to help with your GaaSaku fixes, however it involves some rather dangerous themes touching on some real dark stuff (cough cough there is drug abuse, sexual assault, child abuse, bondage, murder, etc.) So yeaaaah really horrifying stuff, but it felt very natural to write so hopefully my mind isn't too horrible for you guys to read. The language is also very strong, and offensive, but the characters roll with it fluidly and it doesn' feel too forced. It is much more detailed than this, but it's more to add that feel of a medical emotionless standpoint. IF THIS INTERESTS YOU I WILL POST IT, BUT IF THIS STUFF TRULY BOTHERS PEOPLE I MIGHT NOT POST IT BUT JUST CONTINUE TO DABBLE ON IT IN MAH SPARE TIME FAM. Leave a review, let me know what you think of the chapter, what you'd like in the future, and if my new darker fanfic interests you ;)**


	10. Chapter 10

She had told him everything that she knew, and he had graciously listened to her.

Sakura's heart pounded painfully in her chest as she watched him go about getting a team set up to hunt down her missing 'husband'. She was not actually married to Sasuke, nor did she take on his family name, but she did tend a home for him and their child. So in essence she was playing the role, however the man was never home so were they even a real family?

The kunoichi sighed, and laid Sarada down on a plush bench in Gaara's office. She loved her daughter very much, but she had to admit that she was not happy with her current predicament. She did not regret having Sarada, she never could regret something so wonderful, but she wished that her life with the girl could be different. That her baby could grow up with a father who cared, and showed them love.

Sarada was out for the count, and the room was quiet with everyone now gone. Gaara had left with some of the other parties more than a few hours ago, and she was waiting anxiously for his return.

Waiting...anxiously...for Gaara's return? Not Sasuke's?

Sakura blinked at that, and then shook her head wildly before smacking her cheeks. She knew she had missed him, she knew it hurt horribly every time she saw him, she knew she still loved him in some way, but she thought that she had given up on the redhead a long time ago.

After watching him cry like that.

It was at that time, when she watched him sink to the floor absolutely broken that she told herself that she wouldn't do it anymore. She never wanted to see him like that, and it made her regret falling in love with him. If she had just kept to herself he would have never felt that way, he would have never mourned like that. Never suffered. She hated herself so much after that, and seeing him even occasionally on missions was absolutely gut wrenching.

She had tried focusing on Sasuke again to get her mind off of Gaara, and she had succeeded in forming a bond with the Uchiha, but it was nothing like what she had with the redhead. It was... detached.

The way Gaara had looked when he saw her after so long was one of shock, but the smile that came afterwards was so beautiful it was as if nothing horrible had ever happened. His love for her was still so bright, and beautiful.

She started to cry.

Sakura cried over how much her heart pounded seeing him, and how much she just wanted to run into the man's welcoming arms. It hurt so much, knowing they could never be together again. So close to almost touch, but still chained to their lives and duties.

She couldn't handle it, she wanted to break everything into a crumbling pile of rubble. However, she knew that even something like that wouldn't ease one ounce of the heartbreak she felt. This was why she never wrote, never visited, and never talked to him on missions. It was too much to not just try to kiss him, and she knew it would ruin his life if she did.

"Sakura?" A warm voice washed over her, but sent horrific pangs into her heart. "Sakura, I'm sorry... we couldn't find him. I have teams out searching still, but the original teams are back to rest. I will go out and look for him again tomorrow, so please don't cry."

Gaara had come back, and was now circling around her chair to kneel in front of her. He was so handsome, and his eyes showed nothing but kindness. He was probably hurting more than she was, and yet he could stay so strong in the face of heartbreak.

'He's felt heartache all his life... He's used to it.' The thought made the kunoichi want to vomit.

"We will find him. I promise you. You won't have to cry anymo-"

"That's not why... I'm crying..." Sakura blurted out, and instantly regretted it. Knowing him he would pry until he got every last detail. It was careless.

"I see... then I am sorry for giving you grief. That wasn't my intention." Gaara looked bitterly to the floor, and the guilt slammed through the kunoichi like a blade.

"It's not your fault!" She whimpered painfully before grabbing him roughly by the shirt. His eyes widened at her, but she was too upset to understand what she was really doing. "It's not your fault! It's mine! I should have never approached you! If I hadn't then this wouldn't have happened, and we wouldn't feel this way now!"

Sakura was crying hysterically now, and the redhead blinked unsure of how to handle her. She could tell he was trying to figure out what was supposed to be appropriate behavior between them, but she didn't want appropriate. She just wanted him to know how sorry she was, how much she still loved him, and how much he still meant to her without pushing the boundaries. Yet, she also wanted the boundaries gone.

"Sakura, it's okay. I'm fine now. It was in the past." Gaara said almost robotically, and went to stand up, but she pulled him back down to the chair she was sitting in by his shirt. He stumbled slightly, and had his knees on either side of her with his arms caging her in. His eyes went wide again, and his body visibly tensed throughout. "Are you insane?!"

"Yes! Yes I am insane!" The kunoichi choked, and her hands burned with the need to hold him. He was so close now, and she already had her hands on him. The urge grew too strong, and she finally wrapped both arms around his abdomen before hiding her face against his chest. He smelled so nice, and felt so warm. He was more built than before, but that was fine with her. "I missed you so much..." Her voice cracked painfully.

It didn't take long for him to return the embrace, and she knew that what they had never truly left them.

"I missed you too, I missed you so much. Sakura..." Gaara arched himself further down so that he could nuzzle into her hair, and she wrapped her arms around his neck.

This was what it was supposed to feel like. This was what love truly felt like, and he was the one who made her feel that way.

"Mama..." A small voice called out from the bench as the toddler tossed in her sleep.

Sakura tensed thinking her child had caught her in the embrace of a man that certainly wasn't daddy, but the girl's eyes were shut soundly. She sighed with relief, but then felt another wave of guilt sink in.

She had done it again...

"Gaara... I'm sorry-"

"Don't. Go to her, she needs to sleep in a real bed, and not on a bench." Gaara pushed away from the chair to finally stand up straight. He adjusted his wrinkled clothing, and then nodded to her. "I can take you to your room."

Sakura accepted his offer, and went about gathering her child to put her to sleep.

\- ... - ... - ... - ... - ...

"She's so beautiful, and so tiny..." Gaara smoothed Sarada's hair out of her eyes, and smiled. "She'll be breaking out of her crib soon if she's anything like her mother-"

"Hey now, I was a perfect baby. I hardly ever cried until I got older." Sakura smiled down at her daughter lovingly, and felt warmer with Gaara next to her wearing almost the same expression. She watched him carefully as he pet the girl's head with an incredible gentleness. He was a perfect man indeed. "You'd make a wonderful father."

Gaara paused, and retracted his hand almost somberly before looking at her.

"I think that time has passed..." He gave her a sad smile, and her heart plummeted. "I think I'm going to be stuck being 'weird uncle Gaara' till the end of time."

Sakura snorted at that, and he gave her an accusing look.

"Is that funny to you?" He raised a hairless brow at her playfully, and she felt that familiarity between them flourish.

"Not the idea, but that title is hysterical." She turned away from the crib, and walked to the door. As she thought he was close on her heals.

'Forever the puppy-tanuki...' She giggled inwardly.

"I have other titles, you know." He said almost defensively as they walked into the hall. He closed the door with a great carefulness, and Sakura was more than appreciative.

"Oh? Like the Prince of the Sand Gourd?" Sakura snickered at that one as well, gaining a narrowed gaze from her companion. "Find any princesses lately?"

"Nope." Gaara replied almost instantly, and passed her hastily to continue down the hall. His reaction had her curious.

"Hmm, well you've been entertaining more than a few ladies..." The kunoichi rushed up next to him to match his stride, and at her comment he only quickened his pace. "Care to indulge my curiosity, Gaara?"

"No. I don't care to." The redhead huffed as they turned a corner down a darker hallway, and by then she'd had enough of his dodging. Snagging him by the wrist she abruptly stopped her pace, and the initial tug almost made him fall over. "What are you doing?!"

"Gaara, speak to me please." Sakura made her voice stern, and he visibly bristled. Her mothering skills had gotten more intense after she had Sarada, but she never thought they would have any effect on the great Kazekage. "Does it make you feel better?"

"I'm sorry, what?" Gaara furrowed his brows in a bitter confusion, and she felt as if she might be starting an argument here.

"Sleeping around. Does it make you feel better?" She tried to be gentle, but low and behold the angry side of him reared its ugly head.

"That's none of your business. I'm not your husband, or your boyfriend, or even your lover." He practically gritted the words through his teeth, and the kunoichi could feel years of hurt slipping out in the form of bitterness. "So get the fuck off my back-"

"Woah! Hey now! Language!" Sakura scolded him, and he was actually dumbfounded by it. Breaking his train of thought worked for a moment, but she knew she would have to gently revisit this clearly open wound. "It's okay, Gaara. I just still care about you... that's all."

It worked flawlessly. Almost instantly his rage settled to a low blue flame, and he looked about himself shamefully. She didn't want this to hurt him, she didn't want him to feel shame for anything he had done to ease his pain.

"I don't really blame you, I mean if I were a handsome powerful man with great responsibilities I'd find some pretty things to help ease my tension too-"

"Its... not like that." Gaara grimaced, and her curiosity was peaked. "I... I was... It's not love... It's not us."

The kunoichi felt a blush she hadn't sported in a long time, and it filled her cheeks to the brim. He seemed to notice, and was suddenly very flustered himself about his strange admission.

"So... your the Prince of Sluts because-?" Sakura attempted to re-break the ice, but it only made him scowl.

"I'm not a slut." Gaara pouted, and she couldn't help the giggles escaping her. He was just too precious every time he got uppity. Serious, deadpan Gaara caught in his huff-puff was the most adorable thing she had ever seen.

"You are too a slut! I hear you take them two at a time. I mean, I know for a fact that you're talented, but can you really satisfy multiple women in one go?" The kunoichi crossed her arms with a smirk, and waited teasingly for his reply. At first she thought he might start another tantrum, but then he managed to get down to her level, and finally find humor in it rather than shame.

"Well, I'll let you watch if you want to find out the truth on that." He answered almost darkly, and for some reason it sent a strange shiver down her spine along with the shock. "Or, if you're more daring, you can find out first-hand..."

"God you did turn into a slut, didn't you? Oh! I've created a monster!" Sakura played into the dramatics, and he raised both of his naked brows at her in humor.

"Is that so wrong? We stopped seeing each other, so I filled the void." Gaara gave a half grin, but when examined closely one could tell that it was empty. She didn't like it.

In fact, she hated it.

"I wish things could have turned out differently-"

"You know, you keep saying things like that, but I'm not seeing any changes being made." The redhead stopped her sentence dead, and the shots he made were acussatory.

"What is that supposed to mean?" Once again the kunoichi's hands found their way to her hips in a power stance, but the stance bounced right off of the man in front of her.

"Leave him, and marry me." Gaara's voice had never sounded so sure, and it almost leaned on an authorative order. She was caught completely off guard by it, and gaped at him slightly.

"Gaara, I can't just... I can't just up and leave my family-"

"I'll take in Sarada as my own, you don't need to worry about that. I will love her as if she were blood." His eyes were firm, and his mind was completely sure of everything he was saying. As if this had been his life's calling all along.

"Okay, and what about Sasuke? I just leave him to die alone?" She clenched her fists finding herself growing irritated by how confident he seemed.

"He's already abandoned you. Again. Or have you forgotten that?" Gaara narrowed his eyes once more, and she felt the heat radiating off of them. "The man who had abandoned you and your team, tried to kill you, knocked you up, and then abandoned you again when you needed him most. What the fuck kind of man is that?! That's not a man! That is a coward!"

"Let's not forget, Gaara, that you have also done two of those things to me as well. The only part your not in on is the fact that you never got me pregnant-!"

"I WISH I HAD! I WOULDN'T HAVE LEFT YOU ALONE WITH MY CHILD TO FEND FOR YOURSELF!" In his rage, the redhead threw her up against the wall to cage her in. "HE DOESN'T LOVE YOU LIKE I DO! HE DOESN'T DESERVE YOU! I ALMOST SACRIFICED MY WHOLE VILLAGE FOR YOU, AND STILL ITS NEVER ENOUGH!"

"Gaara, calm down." Sakura looked around herself to make sure no one was coming, she didnt want anyone seeing him in this state.

"Calm down? No I won't fucking calm down! Why does that bastard get to have you when he has done nothing but treat you like the dirt on his sandals?! I LOVE YOU! I CARE ABOUT YOU! I WANT TO HEAR YOU SPEAK! I WANT TO BE NEAR YOU ALWAYS!" Gaara finally broke, and his voice cracked painfully as tears flowed down his cheeks.

"You were my girl! My mate! My favorite person! I wanted you to stay forever... every winter... together... forever with me... Sakura, why didn't you come back? I'm sorry, I couldn't control what happened! It was you or my people, and I couldn't be selfish! I am Kazekage, and my life belonged to them... but then there was some space. You could have came back, we could have been together, why didn't you come back?!" His fists pounded against the wall behind her, and she couldn't help the tears falling down her cheeks.

"Gaara... I-I'm...s-so sorry..." Her breath heaved, and he shook his head before embracing her painfully tight.

"Don't say no... please don't... please come back to me I promise it will be better this time. We can get married, and we can be a family...You, Sarada, and me. We can have that!" Gaara's voice cracked again, and he outright mourned onto her shoulder. "P-please... I love you... I love you so much..."

Sakura cried, and hard. She didn't know if she could make this decision. It was too much. This was too heavy for her to carry. She didn't know what to do. She wanted to leave Sasuke, but her duty to the nearly extinct Uchiha clan was iron clad. Sarada, and Sasuke were the last of their line.

"Sakura... Sakura please." The redhead started again, but calmer this time. "I promise nothing will ever come between us again, I swear on my life. Please say you'll stay..."

"I don't know what to do..." The kunoichi shivered almost violently in his arms, and her knees started to weaken from mental fatigue. He held her upright with ease, and cradled her body as close as he could.

"Say you'll spend every winter with me. Stay by my side while we sleep, and wake with me every spring..." Gaara pleaded.

That's when it hit her. A painful idea that was also a way to heal their souls...

"I'm going back to Konoha-"

"Don't say that-!"

"-But I will come back to spend the winters with you... I will stay until spring, and then go back..." It was a strange request, but she knew she couldn't leave Konoha for good. They would never let the only Uchiha heiress, Sarada, leave to another village. However, they could spend a season in Suna every year, and that would be fine. They could have what they wanted for short periods of time... but at least they could have some form of happiness.

"Is it... because of the Uchiha clan?" The redhead seemed to calm down, but he didn't seem completely satisfied. When Sakura nodded, she felt him hold her a little tighter. "Are you leaving him?"

"He'll always be Sarada's father, but he won't be my husband. We were never married to begin with... The title was merely for convenience." Sakura held him back, and inhaled his warm scent. "I am sorry, but I can't marry you either... I'm so sorry... I want to, truly I do-"

"It's okay. I understand." Gaara nuzzled his face into her hair, and sighed. "God, I'm going to have to try to get you out here frequently for missions..."

"You are so needy!" She laughed heartily while wiping what was left of her tears off of her cheeks, and he chuckled along with her.

It was going to be rough with the distance, but with how often she could possibly visit Suna, and how often he came to Konoha, she knew it could work. The winters with him would be beautiful, and she imagined the Sand Village completely covered in snow. Or perhaps it didn't snow here at all... She couldn't remember, but it didn't even matter. All that mattered was his smile.

"Sakura?" Gaara put some space between them, and she wiped away her remaining tears.

"Yeah?" Sakura looked straight into his seafoam eyes, and felt like she was in a dream.

"I love you..." He leaned down, and she leaned up to meet him. It had been so long since she felt his lips against her own, and feeling them now spouted a whole new session of tears. He pulled back to smile sweetly at her, but she continued to cry.

"I love you too."

 **AN: Hey guys! Sorry it's been a while, but I'm trying to get this fic rolling again. Thank you to everyone who is still on board! Hope you are still enjoying the story :3**


	11. Chapter 11

**AN: Just a heads up, there's a little Sasuke bashing... and some NOT Sasuke bashing... you'll understand when you get to it. ;)**

They finally got something, it was a piece of cloth, but it was definitely Sasuke's.

The area to which it was found had been on the outskirts of the village towards the dunes, and caves. Gaara had split off from his team knowing the terrain far better than anyone else. He had no problem searching faster than the other shinobi could. He was efficient, thorough, and he already knew where all the caves were since he frequently roamed the desert as a child.

A certain cave had him feeling uneasy, and he made his way into it as his sand went on ahead to feel things out. A safety precaution; one doesn't go digging in a scorpion hole without pushing a bit of earth in there first to see if the arachnid is still inside.

The funny thing was that they had scorpions big enough to inhabit the caves like they were boroughs. Most ninja would simply put out a paper bomb, or wait nearby with some food for the beasts before attacking. Gaara just happened to have an advantage, and that's why he was the best at searching the caves.

The redhead knew he was built like a killing machine, but he also knew that in able to be such a thing one has to abandon the love for other people, and Gaara would never become a mindless killing machine ever again.

Something shifted in the back of the cave now as he approached, and he prepared himself for another large scorpion, but was met with red swirling eyes instead.

"Ah, I didn't think I would meet up with you of all people." It spoke, and Gaara recognized the Uchiha immediately.

"You're in my territory." The redhead crossed his arms sternly, and had to try very hard not to glare him down.

Once, Gaara had cried for this man, but again it was only once, and it was because of his empathy for him. The similarities of hatred and pain made him emotional, maybe even compromised. He couldn't tell if his crying had affected his fighting or not, but that was a long time ago...

Now he held a small grudge against him, and he knew it was petty to be bitter toward your partner's ex, but he was jealous of every single millisecond that Sasuke got to spend with Sakura. How the Uchiha was able to make love to her when Gaara could not.

Suddenly he felt like he was burning from the inside, but was as cool as can be on the outside. The hot rage going through him was immeasurable, and he tried to keep his mind from wandering over how Sakura and Sasuke had actually slept together.

"You're angry. I can see it." Sasuke wandered out into the light, dragging what seemed to be a corpse behind him.

Gaara was unphased by the dead body, only giving it a second of his attention before turning back to the Uchiha.

"I am not angry." The redhead stated calmly, but as the brunette took step towards him he noticed his sharingan sizing him up.

"No, I suppose it's a bit different." Sasuke tossed the body to the side, and Gaara finally recognized it as a recently wanted criminal. "You are enraged. You hide it well though, I'm impressed by how professional you are. I still remember a boy screaming at the sight of his own blood-"

"And I remember a boy who ditched his responsibilities to go on a hunting trip. We both have had our bad days." The redhead locked eyes, unafraid of the brunette, and he seemed to appreciate that.

"You're not still bitter over the chunin exams, are you? Because I really don't know what I did to deserve your animosity-"

"You left her behind. You abandoned her twice." Gaara let his glare finally show, and his face started to twist under the pressure of disgust. "She kept waiting for you, and you just keep wandering like an idiot-"

"Sakura must have put you up to this then? You two seem to be rather good friends. How convenient." As the brunette went back over to the body to hoist it over his shoulder, the redhead felt himself start to crack. "I hope she's taken good care of our child, I wouldn't want the thing to grow up weak-"

"You useless piece of trash." Gaara's words slipped out of his shaking body, and his sand was stretching out with his anger. Sasuke seemed to smirk at this, and raised a curious brow at him.

"Why so defensive, Gaara?" The Uchiha practically purred his name, and he felt the sound roll over him uncomfortably. The brunette closed the distance between them, and he was almost chest to chest with the man. As the redhead held painfully still, he felt Sasuke lean over him to whisper in his ear. "Are you jealous? Jealous that I knocked her up first?"

"You fucking SON OF A-!" Gaara went to punch him, but his fist was caught almost instantly. Sasuke seemed intrigued by the behavior.

"A fist? Really? That's rather barbaric of you, usually you don't like to get your hands dirty..." The brunette gave a small laugh, and the redhead started to see only white as he felt himself boil over. His sand finally went in to grab at the man's arms, and legs.

'Don't, you'll make her cry.'

Gaara widened his eyes, and saw that his hand was ready to make a fist, ready to crush the Uchiha into a bloody mush with his sand coffin. He inhaled sharply before pulling his hand back to himself, and the sand dropped lifelessly back to the ground. He shivered at the thought that he almost made a horrible mistake.

"Smart choice. You really are a good leader." Sasuke went to move past him, but the redhead placed a strong hand against the brunette's chest to stop him.

"I'm taking Sakura." Gaara began, and the Uchiha was suddenly all ears. "I'm taking her away from you-"

"You do realize she can't leave Konoha without abandoning her only child right?" Sasuke met his eyes, and the redhead couldn't tell if he was saddened by the news or just apathetic.

"I know that, and she knows that, but it doesn't change the fact that her heart will belong to me now. Unlike you, I will visit her, and she'll be able to visit me-"

"And you'll just raise someone else's child as your own? Can you? Even while knowing that it is the result of my sleepless nights with the woman you love?" The brunette gave a dark smile, but Gaara wouldn't let it affect him.

"Sarada." The redhead snapped defensively, and the Uchiha furrowed his brows at him. "She is not an 'it', she is a little girl, and her name is Sarada."

"Heh..heh heh heh...hahaHAHAHAHA!" Sasuke started to laugh, and unfortunately it unsettled Gaara enough to take a small step back. The Uchiha laughed for a good long while before coming back down to a soft chuckle, and the redhead crossed his arms once more waiting for the man to collect himself. "You have fun with that, 'daddy'. Go play house, and leave the real issues of the world to me."

"Gladly." The redhead nodded sternly, and made his way out of the cave with the brunette not far behind.

He was done with this man, and his blindness to what was around him.

'Don't pity the foolish.'

"Gaara..." Sasuke called before he could take off, and the Kazekage turned proudly to face him. The brunette tossed the corpse to the side of him before he closed the space between them once more, and the redhead felt unsettled by how close he was. His eyes were dark, and a hint of mischief danced behind them. "Will you give this to Sakura for me?"

Gaara went to look down at the man's hands, but was met with a stern grip to the back of his neck. He tensed firmly as Sasuke brought his mouth in to mold over his own. The redhead gasped, not expecting his enemy to just up and kiss him, not even in a million years, but while his lips parted the brunette slipped in his tongue to make it painfully intimate.

'What...the...fuck?!'

The Kazekage held still, and decided to wait until this man was satisfied. He really felt like murdering him, and he knew that if he fought back in any way he would most likely accidentally kill the Uchiha. So he waited, and allowed this strange man to kiss him quite passionately. The brunette even had the gall to bite down his lower lip, and tugged playfully on it before going back in.

Gaara waited, and waited, but he never once kissed the man back even though the motions made him want to do it instinctually. Thankfully, he had strong willpower. Finally the Uchiha broke away, and his lips were reddened by how hard he had kissed the redhead.

"A bit of a dead fish, aren't you?" Sasuke smirked, and Gaara blinked at him.

"Towards you? Yeah." He remained stony, and watched a few emotions flitter across his rival's face. He felt the man's hand snake up to the nape of his neck, and tangle in his red locks while the other rested on his hip. "If you're thinking of doing it again, then please desist. It doesn't do anything for me, I assure you."

"It may not do it for you, yet, but it'll do wonders for her." Sasuke almost purred, and Gaara couldn't contain his confusion at the statement before the brunette was on him again. He kept his mouth tightly shut this time, and turned his face away to break the contact.

"What is your problem?!" As he finally freed his mouth to speak the Uchiha descended onto his now exposed neck.

Every girl that Gaara had slept with knew that his neck was his weakest point, aside from the obvious, and now he was having a real predicament.

It made his stomach churn.

"Stop!" The redhead pushed at the brunettes chest hard, but then he was suddenly swung backwards, and pushed even harder until he was slammed onto the cave wall behind him. His brain was skipping, and he had been mentally compromised by the situation so much he couldn't seem to attack, and the brunette wasn't hurting him enough to really spark his defense. His neck was attacked again by the Uchiha's mouth, and he felt warm hands run down his frame sensually.

It was...intimidating.

That's when it clicked, that Sasuke was trying to prove himself in some way superior by dominating Gaara intimately. It was a disgusting move, but he understood the psychology of it.

However, what was the right choice of action in this situation?

Gaara's thoughts were disrupted as he felt Sasuke's hand smooth over the front of him, and he blushed shamefully at the contact.

"You can't lie to me anymore, Gaa-ra..." Sasuke panted the redhead's name, and his face reddened even further.

"Get your fucking hands off of-!"

"You know, for being 'straight' you're awfully hard right now. I wonder what Sakura would say?" The brunette gave a sickening laugh, and Gaara tried pushing him away once more, but was fiercely pushed back. Sasuke molded his body against the redhead, and his thigh went in between his legs. "I wonder what she's thinking right now?"

"What are you talking about!?" Gaara shouted at him defensively, but when the Uchiha bit down on his jugular while pressing his thigh firmly against the redhead's groin, the once strong Kazekage let out a weakened sound.

He moaned.

"Hahahaha! Is that what you sound like?! How shameful, Gaara! At least give me a growl, jinchuriki!" Sasuke bit again, and pressed harder into Gaara, making his victim moan more sharply than before.

Gaara felt like his face was going to explode from the embarassment of it, but he couldn't seem to get away long enough to get a clear head.

"You moan like a bitch in heat. How she can have sex with you is beyond me; you couldn't handle her, not even tied down-!"

"FUCK OFF!" The redhead grabbed the brunette firmly, and used all of his body strength to push the other man to the ground. He pinned him down, and then proceeded to punch him a few times in the face much to the other man's surprise. After the Uchiha started to spit up blood, Gaara seized the opportunity, and kissed him roughly on his beaten mouth.

It wasn't sexual. It wasn't pleasant. It wasn't loving. He kissed him with every ounce of hatred, and the man started to recoil underneath him. When he pulled away, the redhead felt a maniacal laugh bubble out of himself.

"Hahaha..haa...I was a murderer once." He started, and wrapped his hands around Sasuke's neck, but not enough to keep him from breathing. "I want to bathe in your blood so fucking badly, but I will not do that to her. I won't hurt her like that. But..."

He reached down in between them, grasping firmly at the bulge in Sasuke's pants, and he watched with pure joy as the man beneath him winced in pain.

"I will castrate you if I have to. You want me to prove I am a man, but will it even be a contest when you are missing the one thing that makes you male?" Gaara grabbed harder, and Sasuke hissed in discomfort. "I'm not afraid to touch you, Sasuke. I'm not afraid of your touch either, but if I'm going to fuck anyone today it will be Sakura-"

"I hope she breaks you." The brunette spat, and now it was clear that he was jealous.

"The only thing she'll break is the bed-"

"FUCK OFF, YOU FUCKING WOMAN STEALING PIECE OF SHIT-!"

"That's enough... Sasuke." A feminine voice rang through their ears, and while Sasuke seemed unaffected Gaara was in full shock. As he looked over to his left he watched her approach confidently, but she looked disappointed. He felt his face flush, and he looked to the sandy ground shamefully to hide it. "Gaara, you don't have to hide from me, I saw everything."

"Even more of a reason to hide, if we are being honest." The redhead pushed himself away from his rival, and stood up to brush off his knees. He gave the Uchiha one last look, and blushed again remembering he had his blood on his lips. He wiped his mouth vigorously, and the brunette laughed at him.

"He's ashamed because he enjoyed it-"

"Enough!" She growled before snatching the Uchiha by the collar, and pulling him up violently so he could stand. Her rage was unmatched. "You had better collect your fucking thoughts or I'll actually let him cut off your testicals!"

Sakura finally let go of Sasuke, and she let her inner self show.

She looked tired.

"We are done, Sasuke. I can't do it anymore, and I won't sacrifice my happiness for a family I know we will never have. You won't be there, and our daughter will be heartbroken." Sakura looked for over to Gaara, and smiled weakly. "My love for Gaara isn't something fleeting, you should know this already-"

"Of course, but I wanted to see what you liked so much about him... and I don't think he can handle your fire." Sasuke sized up the Kazekage once more, but before the redhead could defend, he found Sakura was already at the front lines.

"He can handle me just fine, in fact he handles me in a way that you can't." She reached over to hold Gaara's hand, and he felt like he was suddenly in a dream. "He loves me. He tells me that he loves me, shows me that he loves me, and I can feel it genuinely. I don't need a 'man', I need a partner, and you can't provide that for me. You won't listen, and you don't care-"

"I care." The brunette interjected, but he looked down at the ground all the same. "I just... I can't give it like you want me too."

"Give me what? Validation? Recognition? Affection? Respect? All those things that humans need to actually feel, and know they are loved? Sasuke, you do not love me, we are just friends that ended up fucking each other."

She paused for a moment to collect herself, and all the redhead could do was stare at her like she were a spectre.

"There was no romance, or understanding. I may have done those things for you in the hopes that you would love me, but the favor was never returned. It is plainly obvious that we are not made for each other. I have to think about Sarada too, and she needs a man in her life that is unconditionally present. Not absent. She needs a father."

Sakura brought her free hand up to her eyes, and wiped away some of the tears that had formed. Gaara squeezed her other hand gently, and a small smile formed.

"Gaara... Gaara wants a family... and he doesn't care that my child is also yours. He thinks she is beautiful, and precious. He wants to take care of her, and I want to let him do that. I want to have a family... with him." She squeezed his hand back finally, and he managed to give a shy smile too. Sasuke looked between the two of them, and sighed in defeat.

"He's so weird though-"

"Sasuke! That is rude!" Sakura barked defensively, but Gaara stepped in front of her, and the brunette eyed him strangely.

"Out of respect, I'd like to call a truce between us. Sarada is an Uchiha, as are you. As such, I know there will be contact between you two, and I do not want bad blood between us. I'd appreciate your blessing..." Gaara held up his hand for Sasuke to shake, and the Uchiha raised a brow at him.

"You'll be civil? You'll even let me around them without throwing one of your ridiculous tantrums?"

"I'm sorry, what tantrums? I don't ever-"

"When we were kids, you were quite a selfish murderer. Forgive me for those being the main memories I have of you." Sasuke grabbed hold of the redhead's hand making him tense almost nervously. "Not afraid of me touching you, my ass-"

"Sasuke, knock it off!" Sakura stamped her foot, but the Uchiha kept his dark eyes locked on Gaara's seafoam ones.

"I could teach him, Sakura. How to please you properly..." The brunette spoke in a sinister tone, but the redhead merely raised a hairless brow at him.

"Well, apparently you don't return favors, which I happen to do with interest." Gaara carried a smirk that gave the brunette's malicious intent a run for its money.

"Heh, you're starting to make this sound like a contest." Sasuke scoffed, but Gaara remained smiling.

"Has she ever passed out on you?" The redhead let go of the handshake to cross his arms proudly, and the brunette gave him a confused look while Sakura balked.

"Gaara!" She scolded, and the Uchiha grew even more confused.

"I don't think so-?"

"Ah, I see. Well I don't need to make any comparisons then, I have already won before the contest even began." Gaara smiled genuinely before giving a curt nod, and Sakura smacked him lightly on the arm showing her distaste for the topic. "I'm sorry, was that something you wanted to keep private?"

"Gaara, don't make me start scolding you too. I'm already exhausted." She groaned, and he felt a wicked smile start to creep up on him.

"I'd rather you not spare the rod-" He narrowed his eyes suggestively, and she smacked him a bit harder.

"Gaara!" Sakura finally blushed, and he felt himself grow refreshed just by watching her fluster a little bit. He had almost forgotten Sasuke was even there until the man had cleared his throat.

"Take good care of her, and take even better care of the girl...Sarada." Sasuke nodded mostly to himself, and finally turned to pick up the corpse he had thrown to the ground earlier. "I really don't know what you see in him, Sakura, I doubt he has enough stamina for you..."

Sasuke attempted to get a jab in before leaving, but Gaara wouldn't let him have the last word.

"I'm more of a foreplay kind of guy, so I really don't need much 'stamina' anyways-"

"Heh, I guess that's how some people roll. All talk, and no cock." Sasuke scoffed.

"Sasuke!" Sakura screeched.

"Mmm. No, there's definitely cock, a little talk, and a lot of... well... I really shouldn't say." Gaara tapped two fingers on his mouth before parting his lips, and the kunoichi nearly jumped to pull his hand back down.

"Don't you even think about making that gesture-!"

"I have no clue what you are talking about! You are imagining things." He couldn't contain the shit eating grin that grew on his face, and Sakura pinched him. "Ow!"

"You are picking up bad habits from Kankuro! If I ever see you make that gesture I will slap you, do you understand?! It is crass, and disgusting, and-!"

"Yes, dear. I understand." Gaara smiled warmly at her, and she gave a small blush.

"I'll keep in touch." Sasuke nodded gently, and narrowed his eyes knowingly at the redhead, who nodded in return.

As they began walking back towards the village, Gaara let Sakura walk a little ahead of him, and he looked back to see Sasuke watching them.

For a moment it looked like the Uchiha was going to wave goodbye, but only proceeded to give the Kazekage the middle finger.

Gaara looked behind him quickly to check if she was looking. When he knew he was in the clear he made a victory sign with his fingers, getting a glare from the brunette, and then brought the sign to his mouth before sticking his tongue through it.

Sasuke seemed to... laugh at the gesture, and it made Gaara snicker as well.

"What are you doing?" Sakura asked suspiciously, and he tensed at getting caught doing the one thing he said he wouldn't do.

"Ah haa... nothing! Just waving goodbye-"

"Gaara. You did that gesture didn't you?" She glowered, and he felt the blood drain from his face.

"If I say that he flipped me the 'bird' first, do I get a pass on this one?" He clasped his hands together to plead with her, but she remained stony.

"Oh I'm sorry, wasn't it you who said to not spare the rod?" She shot it back at him, and he was thoroughly amused.

"God, I missed you! That... fire! Yes!" He practically jogged up next to her to grab her hand. "So no, don't spare the rod! I'm in need of a good punishment-"

"I didn't realize you were into that... please don't tell me you have a 'red room of pain' now." She started to smile, and it was so incredibly contagious.

"No my mistress, just a small broom closet, but that can quickly change with a bit of leather and a can of red paint." He squeezed her hand teasingly, and she laughed.

"I would rather you paint it red with the blood of your enemies..." Sakura said with dark humor, and he decided to match her.

"Not a problem, I can get on that right away. Oh, Sasuke! I'M IN NEED OF YOUR ASSISTANCE-!"

"Stop that! He might be listening!" She hushed him, and tried desperately to hide her giggles under professionalism. "Plus, when you say it like that it sounds like you need him for something else..."

At first she snickered, but then he watched curiously as her face turned beet red.

'Round two...' Gaara smirked to himself.

"You were... watching the whole time you said? It's funny that you didn't seem to break us up until I threatened to castrate him." He looked over at the kunoichi almost smugly, and she kept her eyes facing forward with her mouth in a nervous yet tight line. "I didn't realize you were into that."

He threw her words back at her, and she almost tripped as she walked through the sand, but she refused to look at him.

"Did you like what you saw?" Gaara teased, and she tripped slightly again. Her face went wide eyed, and he held back a snicker. "I can... go back, and grab him. He's not too far away-"

"Gaara, I have no desire to have a three way, thank you!" Sakura attempted to stomp in the sand but it only slowed her down. He got right up to her ear to speak teasingly.

"I didn't say anything about a three way." The redhead said it very low, and in a knowing tone. As if to say 'I caught you red handed, naughty girl'. She froze in her spot, and he could see her sweating from more than just the sun. "I was thinking a bit more on the voyeuristic side, but if you want in then I certainly won't stop you-"

"I think it's funny that your trying to convince me to have a three way with you, and another man." At that she raised her eyes to his, and smirked at his shocked face.

'...Well I'll be damned...'

"That's... kind of gay... don't you think?" She stretched causally, and left him scrambling for an argument. "But, I mean, yeah Sasuke definitely can dominate, but you were so into it. Moaning, and writhing-"

"Hey, I was... in shock. I have never had a man do that before, let alone a rival-"

"You were practically begging for it! 'Oh Sasuke! Don't touch me there! It's so wrong! And I am so innocent!'. Admit it, if he wasn't acting like an asshole you might have done it." Sakura looked him up, and down without mercy. He probably deserved a little bit of her animosity, but not as much as she was serving him.

"The same could be said of you. You wanted to watch it happen." Gaara walked past her confidently, and she dramatically gasped.

"I did not! I just like seeing you blush..." She said the last part very softly, but he still heard it all the same.

"Ah-ha! So you wanted to watch someone get me off for your own personal satisfaction regardless of it being your ex!" He pointed accusingly at her, and she rolled her eyes.

"You fucked Matsuri right?" She asked tactlessly, and he felt his stomach tie in a knot.

"Thats... why are you-?"

"Just answer, I won't get angry." She gave him a reassuring smile, and he felt a blush grace his cheeks.

"Um...Yes. Yes I did." Gaara let out a breath he was holding, and she smiled at his nervousness.

"How would you feel if I decided to have passionate sex with her, and I let you watch?" Sakura said it as if it were the most casual thing in the world.

He literally had to stop, and hold onto his knees for a moment to collect himself after the thought hit him. It was... too much to handle.

"You okay?" She snickered, and he waved his hand at her.

"Yup. Just need a break. It's hot out here, don't you think? We've been having some great weather lately..." Gaara took in a breath, but couldn't seem to find anything calming about it.

"I wonder what Matsuri is doing today? Maybe she'll join me for a bath... that'd be nice. Oh! Yukata too! We can just have a girls night, and wash each other with some of those lovely scented soaps they have in the bathhouse. They make your skin feel so soft, and it feels so good to rub it in-"

"Sakura... you're a really wicked woman." He sank down into the sand, and held his knees to his chest before ducking his head.

"Hey! Wait a minute! I didn't tell you about the sleep over part!" Sakura giggled before circling behind him to kneel, and wrap her arms around his waist. He went completely stiff under her touch. "You see, we will have a sleep over, and have a couple drinks. After we're nice and tipsy we'll start practicing our kissing on each other-"

"-Oh god, please stop-"

"-And then we'll get too excited from the kissing, and go a bit further. We'll start experimenting, and kissing each other in naughty places-"

"Noooo...stop talking about it!" Gaara shivered visibly, and she started to laugh.

"Oh sorry, does that bother you? Or should i go get Sasuke for you? I'm sure he can take care of your current prob-AH!" She broke out into a fit of giggles as he turned to pounce her onto the sand. They rolled slightly down the dune, and unfortunately he ended up on the bottom.

'Damnit!'

"Uh oh, did your plan go awry?" She rested comfortably on top of him, and he tensed wanting to do something a bit different from this. "You're such a switch, Gaara. But that's okay, because I am too..."

"I'm sorry, a what?" Before he could get a verbal answer she pulled him to roll with her a little further down the dune until he was on top. His eyes widened at her strange behavior, and she giggled continuously.

"We switched, because we are switchers." Sakura broke out into a hearty laugh, and he enjoyed watching her act so happy.

However, he now understood what she meant by a 'switch'.

"I see. You know, when we were together I never really got the dominant roles." He leaned down over her, and kissed her cheek while she giggled almost shyly. "You tried to groom me for them though..."

"You were too scared to hurt me. It was sweet." She nuzzled against him, and he almost purred.

"Right now... I want you right this very second..." Gaara spoke huskily, and grabbed firmly at her hips making the woman beneath him squeal.

"No! Not out in the open-!"

"Oh yes, in the open. I want every man to hear you when you scream my name so that they know who you belong to-"

"I don't want them to see me naked either!" She snapped now, and he growled playfully.

"Why not? You're so beautiful, and I'd like them to see just how beautiful my mate truly is." He licked at her neck, and grabbed a handful of her breast through her red dress making her whimper. "God, that sound! I missed it so much!"

"Gaara, knock it off! Can't we save this for later?!" Even though she was scolding him, she still managed to have some laughs thrown in as she struggled in his arms.

He enjoyed the fight in her, she didn't give in like those other girls, and she loved to toy with him just as much. She was such a tease, and yet kept him so satisfied.

"It's all your fault. Talking about taking baths with other women, and having sex with them... do you realize how hard it is not to rip off your clothes? I don't think you understand how I'm feeling right now, I think you need a reminder-"

"Noooo!" She squealed while she struggled again, and his grin turned devilish.

"Not even an hour ago I was kissing Sasuke..." Gaara spoke just above a whisper, and she trembled underneath him.

'Good... very good...' He inwardly laughed.

"But did you hear the things he was saying to me?" He purred, and she let out a small whimper while she shook her head. "No? Well, he told me that I couldn't lie to him... because he could feel me..."

The redhead grabbed her hand, and molded it over his groin. When she blushed he felt his power over her get higher.

"He was right. I couldn't lie to him about it, and kissing him felt so wrong... but..." Gaara nearly growled as he grabbed her hand once more, but pinned both her wrists to either side of her head. He grinded himself against her, and she gave a sharp cry.

'Already? She's already that far?' Smutty storytime was definitely going to be something he'd have to add into their sex life on a regular basis. Hands down.

"Oh I made a similar sound earlier. My body betrayed me, and Sasuke knew what he was doing to me... and he knew you were watching..." The redhead rocked his hips again, and she broke free to claw at his back while she gave another loud whine. "Hn, I wasn't this enthusiastic though..."

"SHUT UP!" Sakura shouted, and then tried wrestling with him again. He laughed at her efforts, and just couldn't keep himself from kissing her. As his lips took on her own she hummed in surprise before melting into the contact. Her mouth opened for him the second her shock wore off, and the kiss was sensual yet relaxed.

No one kissed like her. Her gentle movements, her petal soft lips, and she would nip at him every so often to keep him on his toes. He matched her movements every step of the way, and her humming increased to a needy whimper. He broke away to breath, but his eyes were swimming with her.

"Looks like you got better at kissing while I was gone." She smirked at him, and he flushed at the comment. "Slut."

"I'm not a slut!" He argued, and she laughed genuinely while he pouted.

"Did my puppy learn any new tricks?" Her fingers ran through his hair, shaking out a bit of sand, and he shivered at her touch.

"I'm not sure, I guess we'll have to just try everything all over again won't we?" He grinned once more, and she returned it with interest.

She returned it with a kiss.

 **AN: I wrote this so fast it was ridiculous, obviously meant to be! I hope that smidgen of yaoi didn't bother y'all**  
 **too much. I myself am a monogamous person, but I'm not going to say 'no' when two hotties make out. However, I actually despise Sasuke just as an overall character, so writing this surprised me probably as much as it did for you guys. I promise that the next chapter will be uber sweet, and some of y'alls ovaries might explode. Especially those of you who love it when men are great with kids, that is a huge turn on for me BUT YA KNOW IM GETTING TO BE TGAT AGE WHERE KIDS ARE ON THE BRAIN. The baby fever is real.**

 **To be honest I used to hate fics where the pairing either has a pregnancy, or one of them already has a child, but I think there is a beautiful thing there if you can still have romance in a relationship with a child in the mix. Like, you can be a mom or dad, and still be full of vitality. You can still be sexy even after the relationship is in full swing, and your focusing on your children too. Like why not? This should be romanticized instead of people having flings in their twenties. I say we make it a thing. Lmao!**


	12. Chapter 12

**AN: Been sitting on half of this for months, but wrote the smut in a span of a few hours XD lmao! IM TERRIBLE! Also, watch out for errors, the smut scene I wrote tonight and didn't re-read through it sooooo IT MIGHT BE AWFUL OR IT MAY BE PERFECT LIKE IT IS IN MY HEAD WE'LL JUST HAVE TO SEE. At any rate- enjoy!**

The bird left her hands, and she watched it soar high up into the sky. It was on its merry way to Konoha, with the message that Sasuke had been tailing a rather infamous criminal, and had gone off the radar to track the bastard down.

Other than that, it was a letter explaining everything that was happening, and what would happen with her and Sarada in the future. She knew that Kakashi would be on her side, as would Naruto. The two most important figures in the village; she had nothing to worry about.

Now she was off to her make-shift nursery, which unfortunately happened to be Gaara's room at the moment as it had more space for Sarada to play, and not get hurt.

As she walked down the hall she heard a familiar scream, and her gut wrenched at the sound. Her maternal instincts kicked in, and she was literally at the other end of the long hall in seconds.

"Sarada!" Sakura shouted as she came bursting through the door, meeting a surprised Gaara with Sarada in hand.

He had apparently been using his sand to toss and catch her, and her scream was one that a child would make when very excited. When her daughter's laughter hit her ears, she almost fell to the floor in relief.

"Sakura, is everything alright?" The redhead was immediately concerned, but was eased when she waved her hand dismissively at him.

"Yeah, it's all good now. I thought the baby was in trouble..." She let out a harsh pant as her breath and heart finally caught up to speed. He gave a soft chuckle at her actions.

"She won't be harmed, not when I am around." As if on cue he turned his back on the child, letting his sand drop her from up high. Sakura almost screeched, but was instantly consoled when the sand also caught Sarada in the most gentle way she had ever seen. The toddler screamed happily, and clapped her hands.

"Mama! Mama! Weee!" Sarada laughed, and did that classic pitched toddler scream that either meant fun or an injury. Sakura put her hand over her heart out of relief before narrowing her eyes at Gaara.

"Ah... I can explain. She was interested in my sand-"

"Don't even bother explaining, it won't fix the heart attack I just had." She smirked before walking over to her daughter, and waited for his sand to gently place the girl in her arms.

"Mama no! I pway wiff Sandy!" Sarada huffed, and a tantrum was starting to begin, but her mother was more focused on what 'Sandy' was.

"What is Sandy?-"

"Oh, that would be me." Gaara answered gently with a coy raise of his hand, and she almost snorted at the nickname.

"Wow, is that what they call you at your other job too? You know... the one where you get on stage, and do this funny kind of dance in your underwear-?"

"Ha-ha-ha, very funny, you should do stand up comedy." He smiled genuinely towards her, and it almost took her breath away. 'Almost' being a key word here.

"You'd be the butt of all of my jokes, 'darling'." Sakura grinned wickedly, but he ended up shrugging it off.

"Well, I'm glad my 'butt' gets to be the center of attention." He raised his naked brows suggestively, and she scoffed at him in disbelief.

"Mama! I pway wiff Sandy!" Sarada pouted while reaching her little arms out to the redhead, breaking the jokes between the two ninja.

"Oh Sarada! You can't always get what you want-"

"Sandy! Sandyyyy!" She started to flail while crying, and Sakura felt a migraine coming on fast.

"I love kids, I chose to be a mother, I knew these days would come fast, I AM MENTALLY PREPARED-"

"Here." Gaara walked over, and with open arms he beckoned for the screaming child.

"No, Gaara, she's having a fit. She needs her nap-"

"I may not look like it, but I'm good with kids. Let me try something please." He beckoned with his hands again, and she sighed before handing over her screaming daughter to her 'boyfriend'.

"Sandy! Mama meanie!" Sarada wailed, and Gaara almost let a laugh slip out, but stopped fast when he recieved 'the look'. He cleared his throat to compose himself.

"Mommy just wants you to be safe, and warm, and happy." He bounced her a bit in his arms. "I want those things for you too, and right now it's time for your nap-"

"Sandy nooo!" The toddler started to cry again, and he had to stifle another laugh. Sakura was amazed by his patience.

"You just want to play don't you?" He smiled warmly, and the girl nodded tearfully. "I understand, I love to play too, but did you know you can play in your dreams?"

Sarada suddenly seemed intrigued, and stopped her crying. Sakura too, was rather impressed.

"I tan pway?" The toddler started to suck on her thumb, and the redhead nodded seriously.

"Yes, of course. You can play, and fly, and have candy... whatever you want you can do in your dreams, and no one can tell you no when your asleep." He booped her on the nose, and she wrinkled it before giggling. "There's that smile I love so much!"

Sakura watched on, and her own smile kept getting bigger, and bigger. Her world was practically turning upside down, but in the best way, and she was able to realize something wonderful.

Gaara wasn't just a 'good' father, he was a perfect one.

"Okay, the little princess has decided it is time for her nap! Mommy is going to put you to bed, and when you wake up we can have a tasty dinner."

"Sandy be wiff me foh dinnah?" Sarada went to nuzzle him sleepily, and Sakura could see him melt shyly under the adorable affection.

"Yes, Sandy is going to have dinner with you and Mommy-"

"Sandy is daddy?" The little girl started to drift, and he blinked at the question with a light blush.

Sakura suddenly warmed at the cheeks as well, and wondered if she should take over-

"Sandy...will be whatever you want him to be..." He answered quietly, brushing her dark locks out of her face before handing her back to Sakura with a bittersweet smile.

"Mama, Sandy is daddy now, otay?" Sarada declared, and Sakura started clench up as she held back some sort of unknown emotion. Her heart felt like it was going to burst. It was painful, but it was also so wonderful. However, it made Gaara seem concerned as he furrowed his brow in trying to decipher what was happening to her.

"I'm just... going to put her down now. I'll be right back." The kunoichi sniffled before giving the toddler a light hoist, and went to walk back to her own room. She heard him try to say something as she left, but he cut himself off before he could even form a word.

She wondered how this was affecting Gaara. On the surface he seemed happy, however she also knew him to keep quite a few things to himself as well. He had a hard time voice his wants and needs, and that made things difficult. She could only hope that his happiness was truly genuine.

It didn't take long for Sarada to be out like a light, and Sakura brushed the dark hair lovingly out her toddler's face before kissing her forehead.

Sarada seemed so happy with Gaara, and it was wonderful to watch her bond with a man like a daughter does towards her father. Even if it happens only once in a while, it's enough to make a real difference in her daughter's life.

After quietly shutting the door, she padded softly back to the master bedroom in search for the man of her affections. They needed to talk more on this. Hell, they just needed to be together in general. However, she was certain that the topic would be brought up in conversation. They had a lot to catch up on.

"Back." Sakura murmured softly as she stood in the doorway, Gaara was currently sitting at his desk filling out some left over paperwork. He lifted his head with a smile, and his eyes drifted down her frame forcing her to wither. "Hey, can you give it a rest for maybe five minutes, sir?"

"I'm not trying to be a pervert, I just want to memorize how you look whenever I can. So that you can always be crystal clear in my mind." He smiled again, and she felt herself go breathless once more, but she quickly composed herself.

'Damnit, Gaara. When did you become such a sweet talker?' She huffed inwardly, but then remembered what she originally wanted to talk about. "I want to apologize, Gaara. Sarada is very young... and she's never met Sasuke-"

"Part of me hopes she never does... As horrible as that sounds." Gaara looked bitterly off to the side, and it proved to her right then that he really did want to be a part of their lives. He wanted the title that Sarada was so willing to give him. He wanted to be a father, Sarada's father.

Sakura wanted that too.

The kunoichi gently closed the door behind her, making him raise a naked brow at her in question.

"Did you want to talk privately?" The redhead turned to give her his full attention, but she merely shook her head. "What's wrong? How can I help?"

Gaara was so wonderful, and so precious. Such a perfect lover, and parent. She didn't think she deserved such a caring man, but after years of anxiety over Sasuke she felt her stressful tear filled days were payment enough for at least one moment with this selfless man.

Sakura remained silent, but closed the distance between them, and he looked at her with genuine concern.

"Sakura-" He began, but she hushed him as she moved over him on the chair. He blinked in surprise as she straddled him, and she wrapped her lithe arms tightly around his neck. It was bittersweet, but she couldn't stay away from him any longer.

"I missed you..." She cried, and kissed him gently. His arms immediately surrounded her frame, and he held tightly as she moved against him needily.

This... this was what they had been missing. That raw emotion that no one else could give him. Her heart exposed so freely for him to hold in his hands, and the feeling of complete trust that he would care for it like the most precious of things.

"You don't need to miss me anymore, I'm right here..." Gaara answered her, and she gave a choking sound. She was hurting, but this was exactly what she needed. She needed his presence, his unconditional presence. The promise that no matter what he would never stray so far from her ever again. "I'm not going anywhere, not this time."

"You had better make that a fucking vow." She half cried, and half laughed, but he held her tighter all the same. The weight of his hold on her was incredibly welcomed.

"Well, if you'd like, Kankuro is technically ordained-"

"Ha! That's a riot, having Kankuro marry us would be hysterical." Sakura managed a full laugh now, and the redhead lit up a bit as he pulled back enough to truly see her face.

"It's true! He can actually marry us, no problem, and it would still be considered a legal union." Gaara grinned from ear to ear, and she almost didn't want to tell him no, but marrying him would mean that she'd have to become a Suna citizen, and she couldn't do that without leaving Sarada behind. As her expression dropped, so did his, and she figured he knew what she was going to say.

"You know why we can't..." The kunoichi's heart plummeted, and she held onto him a bit tighter for comfort. He had sighed at the fact, but it wasn't completely dejected.

"I know we can't legally, however if you wanted to we could do it privately. No legal ties, but we could still exchange vows... and it would be real enough for us." Gaara closed his eyes, and pressed his face against her shoulder. "They can't stop us from doing that, and I want to be your husband. I want to be the father to all of your children present and future. I want to be eternally bound to you, and you to me. Only a spiritual marriage can provide such things."

Her heart pounded wildly in her chest, and she began to think it over-

No, there was no question. Her heart belonged to him completely. It always had.

"I'd...love that." Sakura finally answered, and he tensed in her arms.

"So, you'll marry me? For real?" The redhead nuzzled against her almost desperately, she couldn't help but nod.

"Yes. Yes, I'll marry you. I swear on it." The kunoichi ran her fingers soothingly through his hair, but he continued to tense against her as his arms held her almost painfully.

"I'm so glad." Was what he said, but his body started to shake. His breath heaved before he'd let out a trembling exhale, and she felt tears start to soak through her dress. She continued to pet his red hair in an attempt to soothe him. "I'm sorry..."

"For what?" She held his head against her chest, and he inhaled her scent as he nuzzled over her heart.

"This. It's probably killing the mood." He gave out a breathy laugh, but his hands clenched desperately at the fabric of her dress. She smiled genuinely.

"It's kind of sexy actually, seeing you act a hot mess because I said I'd marry you." Sakura snickered, making him cringe.

"Isn't it 'your' job to cry about these things?" Gaara practically hid his face in her breasts.

"Yeah, but it's okay if you do it too. I'll probably start crying after we seal the deal-"

"Seal the deal, as in consumate?" He perked at that, making her smack him on the shoulder.

"Oh for heavens sake, no! When we go through the nuptials, you goose." She gave an irritated huff, but gasped when she felt his soft hands smooth themselves up her thighs. "Gaara-!"

"Can you blame me? After so long, and after all the dreams I had of you..." The redhead gripped at her backside before grinding against her.

' "It's unreal...how beautiful you are...I hope that if I ever do sleep...I dream of you..." '

The memory of him that night on his couch rushed to the front of her mind. He may have matured, gotten more experience, and became a bit bolder, but it didn't hide that hopeless romantic she had fallen in love with.

"You finally fell asleep, and dreamed of me..." Sakura laughed almost mournfully while trying to hold back tears, and it made the man underneath her halt his movements.

"So many nights had me slipping away into your embrace... even when lying next to someone else." Gaara's hands grasped fiercely against her dress, and his arms quaked most likely knowing how they had her trapped within them. There was no escape at this point, not that she would ever desire to leave. "I belong to you, and you to me. You are... my mate. No one else can have you-"

"So possessive, Gaara." She sniffled before snickering, gaining a soft growl from him.

"I am yours. Every piece of me is yours-"

"Dramatic too, as always-"

"No." The redhead stood up abruptly making her slip down his lap with a yelp, but he quickly scooped her up into his arms. He carried her over to the bed, and threw her onto the mattress causing her to give a small shriek. She looked at him in disbelief, and he started to unbutton his jacket while staring her down like a hungry wild animal. "I refuse to wait any longer."

'So dominant! What the hell happened to him?!' The kunoichi balked at him for a moment while she tried to figure out where her sweet and innocent lover disappeared to. She eventually came to the conclusion that he had simply grown up. Gaara wasn't that shy teenager anymore, he was very much a man, and a dominant one at that.

"What if I refuse?" Sakura decided to challenge him, and he narrowed his coal rimmed eyes at her. It made him look so incredibly vicious, and dangerous. Every hair on her body rose up in anticipation for his next move.

"You won't." He said huskily, and it was teetering on violent madness.

'The angrier you get the more I want to push you, Gaara.' She couldn't help smiling at that thought, or the fact that she kept imagining all sorts of scenarios that could come from this moment.

"Eh, I think I will. Yeah, I'm a bit too tired right now. I think some tea, and a good book would be better-AAH!" Gaara snatched her legs as she tried getting up, and yanked them hard, pulling her violently towards him. She smacked at his arms a few times for his rude behavior, but he just continued to push up her dress until he was able to grip at her underwear.

He tore them off unceremoniously before chucking them across the room.

"Gaara! Those were one of my favorites!" Sakura barked as he started to pull her further towards the edge, and she wriggled in protest. "You need to pay me back for those-!"

"Oh, you'll thank me in a minute." Gaara grinned wolfishly, and got her to the point of sitting on the edge of the tall bed. Her dress was very much pushed up by that point, and he eyed her lower half lustfully. He kneeled in front of her, and parted her legs so as to hold her waist tightly. He messed with the ties on the top half of her dress to pull it far enough to expose her breasts, and then took one mound greedily into his mouth.

"Gaara..." Sakura panted while her hands stroked along his back and neck greedily. He lifted the bunched fabric of her dress out of the way before sitting lower on his heels. Broken away from her breast his mouth found her womanhood, and he intimately lapped at the area. She gasped at the sensation, and moved closer off the edge for him to have better access. Her hands scratched hard at his scalp while he worked at her.

Gaara groaned at the rough attention forcing her to feel the vibrations of his voice against her sensitive folds. Every action had a reaction, and it was a non stop cycle of pleasure. Her hips rolled at one point, and he seemed to get so worked up by it that he pushed her back against the mattress, yet still pulled her firmly to his mouth. It didn't take long for her to get where he wanted her, and she found herself crying out wantonly for him while rocking her feminine figure in the most sinful of ways.

He was eager, and he was relentless in getting her to climax. So much so that when it finally happened she ended up crying until her voice cut out. Her breath heaved as she tried to keep herself present and aware, but her focus was quickly disrupted when he crawled up her form in a cat-like manner.

Sakura's neck was the next target, and he remained just as vicious. His legs tangled with hers to grind against her properly, her still sensitive center crying for him to desist while also revelling in the attention. He groaned roughly against her neck before his hands searched her body to grab at whatever they could. When he finally gripped at her chest she mewled needily in response.

"God yes, that sound... yes..." Gaara practically purred before dragging his teeth along her neck. Her body jolted, and he answered almost cruelly by grinding against her once again. "I should chain you to this bed-"

"There are no chains strong enough to hold me." The kunoichi pressed her hips hard against his own forcing out a growling sound from behind his clenched teeth. She didn't think his eyes could get any more frightening, but clearly she was wrong. He looked practically enraged. "I don't like that look-GAARA!"

Sakura shrieked in panic as the redhead manhandled her. It wasn't that she was rejecting him, it was more of just the fact that he looked like a feral wolf trying to eat her. Being looked at like prey did something to you, and the way he would growl and pant didn't make him any less frightening.

It reminded her of when she first met him, and how wild and insane he was. She had forgotten that such a person even existed in him. At that very moment she realized that if she were to take Gaara as a husband she would have to accept every single version of him.

Even the version that had tried to kill her at one point.

The kunoichi went submissive, and allowed him to do whatever he desired with her body. The redhead inhaled the scent of her hair before grasping hard at her pink locks, she winced for a moment, but then he'd let go to do something gentle like run his fingers along her tender scalp. Next he bit her neck, and practically broke the skin. She yelped at the sharp pain, but was then soothed by his warm tongue dragging along the fresh bite marks.

"Mine. You're mine." Gaara snarled before pinning her down by her wrists. She whimpered both in pleasure, and pain as he went down to suck and bite at her breasts.

Sakura's whole body ached for him to stop, while also begging for him to continue. He made his way up to her mouth to kiss her deeply, and when she thought that he had finally calmed down he bit her bottom lip. She cried out at the sensation that actually wasn't entirely painful.

"Say it. Say you belong to me." The redhead pulled away from her abruptly to growl out his words, but continued to relentlessly grind against her. Her head was swimming in feverish waters, and she almost didn't comprehend what he had said.

"I'm yours... forever..." The kunoichi panted, and he looked almost relieved for a moment, but it was quickly replaced by his previous demeanor. Leaning in, he grabbed at her pink hair close to the scalp making her turn her head however he wanted.

"Tell me that you've never had it this good, tell me the truth." Gaara whispered in her ear, and it was so dark that her skin tingled all over from the sound of his rough voice penetrating her mind.

Before Sakura could answer his question, she felt him. He did not wait for her say before sliding himself inside her with a sharp gasp. She whined greedily for the sensation almost instantly, and she felt his body shiver in response to her desire.

"How about you tell me the truth instead, Gaara?" Sakura panted before grinding her hips to feel him even deeper inside. He gave a more concentrated moan then before, making it known that he appreciated her enthusiasm. "No other woman could make you feel this good-"

The redhead paused to catch his breath, and she wondered if perhaps he was actually rethinking things. That maybe having multiple lovers instead of being loyal to only her was the better option.

"Heh... you are correct..." Gaara finally managed a smile, and then began to laugh rather heartily. The kunoichi found it both odd, and slightly charming. Not to mention his answer relieved her of a lot of painful thoughts.

"So why are we stopping?" Sakura ran her fingers through his hair finding him to be sweating underneath his thick red mane. He sighed, and hung his head far enough to not have to look her in the eyes.

"Well, I love you very much, and have been wanting you since you arrived. This desire for you has...'consequences' that I am not proud of..." She could practically feel him cringing at himself, but it was so adorable that she couldn't keep herself from giggling.

"Well, I'll admit that this is the first time I've ever considered something like that to be cute-"

"Don't tease. I strive not to have these moments, and for fucks sake I'm not going to blow this moment with you." Gaara lowered his head to her chest to rest for a moment, but she wasn't going to play his game by his rules anymore. She rocked her hips once making him tremble violently. "Sakura-"

"Oh I'm sorry, you were saying something about not 'blowing' the moment, but I wasn't really listening." With another thrust of her hips they both managed an ecstatic moan. "'Come' again? I couldn't understand that last bit-"

"Sakura, I'm warning you. Don't test me." The redhead brought his face back up to glare, but the glazed over look in his eyes didn't help his case. Nor did the intense red flush to his cheeks.

"Ooo, I'm so scared! Someone save me from this terrifying man who is on the verge of orgasm!" Sakura broke out into hysterical laughter as he tried covering his hands futilely over her mouth. "Oh please help! Save me! He likes it when I call him 'daddy'-Eee!"

The kunoichi squealed as he went to suck at her neck in retaliation. The more she squirmed the better he felt inside of her. It was almost too much for her to take, she was on the edge of just rolling them over so that she could ride him how she truly wanted. She could care less if he came too quickly, she would just keep going until he was ready to get there a second time.

The plan was hatched, and she had grown terribly impatient. She decided to go through with it.

"Hmm... Gaara... you're going to hate me in a second." Sakura purred, and he suddenly stilled. He went completely frozen as he looked her dead in the eyes.

"Why?" Gaara asked in a rather suspicious tone. With a wolfish grin she used a good deal of her strength to roll them over with him laying underneath her, and with her taking the reigns. He blinked at her in surprise, and with great pleasure she rolled her hips while taking in his bittersweet expression. "F-fuck...wait..."

"Nope. I'm done waiting." Without a second thought she began rocking her hips back and forth, mewling as she thoroughly enjoyed his length.

"Sakura... stop..." The redhead gasped, and then began to moan almost effeminately. She raked her fingers down his chest, and then found his hands. Lacing her fingers with his own she pinned them down on either side of his head, using them to hold her steady as she rolled through her body at a faster pace. He watched her through lidded eyes, and began to arch up into her desperately.

The kunoichi wouldn't lie, he felt incredible. She was close to the edge, but she knew that he wasn't going to last much longer. However, that was fine, and she was excited to watch him break underneath her.

Gaara pressed against her hands, his fingers clenching painfully with her own as he began to buck into her. His expression was so sweet, and perfectly intoxicated as he shamelessly moaned in his final moment. She could feel him pulsing inside of her, his essence coating her sheath with every thrust as he came. He whimpered slightly at the end, as if the sensation had become too much for his raw nerves, but she remained cruel, and kept going despite the fact that he was spent.

"I'm... going... to die..." The redhead groaned with a sheen of sweat covering his skin. He looked so sweet, and innocent with his flushed cheeks and lidded eyes. She couldn't keep her hands off of him, and she had abandoned his hands in favor of scratching at his chest.

"You like it, don't lie." Sakura giggled before finally removing her dress completely. She witnessed him perk up slightly, and before she knew it he was running his fingers up and down her thighs as she continued to move.

"I don't like it... I love it... big difference..." Gaara panted, but still managed to smirk at her for the barest of moments. His hands ran up her working backside, smoothed over her hips, and moved up to massage her breasts. She gave an exaggerated whine to tease him with, and he gave a low growl in response. "You're...making this...very hard for me."

"I'm pretty sure that's the point." The kunoichi responded breathily, and indeed she could feel him growing firmer with her efforts. She decided to tease him a bit more just for good measure. "I like it hard."

The redhead gave a sharp exhale that half sounded like a laugh, but his eyes darkened slightly at the notion.

Suddenly her world was turning, and she was being pressed firmly against the tufted headboard. She whimpered nervously as he took the dominant roleplaying her in an almost seated position on his lap, but giving him enough room to thrust into her as he saw fit. Her plush chest pressed up against his toned one, and her breasts would bounce with him as he moved. He was being gentle now, but she knew that at any moment he could snap like a wild animal. His eyes also conveyed that fact almost playfully.

"Is this hard enough?" Gaara panted huskily, obviously excited by the new turn of events. He gave a good thrust that had her squirming with pleasure. With a devilish grin he looped a strong arm around her waist to hold her down as he thrusted again. This time she mewled with delight, and rocked her hips to match him somewhat. His other hand grabbed hold of the headboard for even more stability.

"Harder...please..." Sakura whined, and he obliged with an even deeper thrust. She gasped harshly, finding the need for oxygen after the intense sensation. Her limbs tingled with the electricity, and her toes curled as if trying to grab at the sheets. It was only singular thrusts, and they were shooting through her like a white-hot poker. He gave another, and another, and one more. Suddenly she felt like she was under attack from the succession of hard thrusts into her core. She felt dizzy with it, crying out for more each time one was given to her. It was too much, and she found herself rocking against him with abandon as the first wave hit.

It hit hard, the electrical wave of pleasure left her whining shamelessly as she let every inch of him send her to nirvana. Her blood running too hot she felt herself begin to cool down out of necessity for normality. Yet, just like her, Gaara could be a cruel lover.

"We're not done yet." The redhead rasped as he moved into her with a speed she didn't realize he had. This time she screamed at the overwhelming sensation, and it had her practically blinded it was so powerful. Just as she thought it would calm it kept rolling into another wave, and then another wave. Relentless, and frightening, but ultimately perfect climaxes. She could feel a wetness running down her legs that she could only assume was one or both of their essences, but she was so wonderfully lost in her pleasure that she couldn't give a care in the world to whatever mess they were making.

Another wave hit her, and she started sobbing from how wonderfully raw it felt. It pushed her over a ledge that had her gritting her teeth, and tears ran down her face to try to cool her fevered cheeks. He gave one last burst of speed, and groaned almost painfully as he came to a halt.

Sakura's heart was pounding to a degree that she swore was unhealthy. Her breath was forceful as it breathed in and out in desperation to cool her sweating form down. Her hair clung to her face, and she felt a heated hand wipe the locks away. Through hazy eyes she watched him share in her burnt out expression. Only he was shaking quite violently from overexertion.

"H-hey... are y-you...o-okay?" She tried to speak, but it came out shaken. It took him a moment to digest her words, but eventually he gave a mute nod. She flashed him a rather large smile, and gave a breathy laugh. "I love you."

The words were short, and tight, but they came out nice and clear. He began to nod repeatedly before leaning in for a heated kiss. It was passionate, yet also sloppy due to their spent up energy, but it was romantic enough for her to swoon in it. She could feel his muscles trembling, and she knew he had used up just about everything he had for the moment. Probably even for the whole night.

They laid there for a while, Gaara had rested his head on her chest, and had even fell asleep. It was odd for her to watch him sleep, she had never seen him do it before so having him do so now, and on her no less left her rather intrigued.

She played with his sweat drenched hair, and did not find it disgusting in the least. Everything about him was beautiful, even the sweat that covered his pale skin. It reminded her of their first time out in the rain. He was so scared then, worrying about every little thing. Even after that night he was always worried that he was hurting her when they would have sex. This night, however, he was truly fearless. He was completely confident, and ready to take her like he had always desired.

Sakura was happy that he could find that perfect place of comfort with her. That they could so easily walk back into that relationship of trust that she thought they had lost long ago. It was obvious that they were meant for each other, even if it did take a while, and a few mistakes to get to this point.

No, it was fine. This was perfect just the way it was, and she would not change it. Not all romances are found right away, nor do they work out as planned, but she had faith in destiny.

Destiny did not fail them.

 **AN: Oh my god, Gaara with dad skills over 9000 is like murder on my ovaries. Obviously the scene that followed said 'daddy' moments was definitely fueled by GUYS BEING GOOD WITH KIDS AAAAHHHH CRAP NOW I HAVE BABY FEVER! Also a lot of fluffy marriage stuff is also great fuel for a nice steamy scene ;) forgive me for I am female trash that says they only like smut but secretly I like that fluffy shit too, let's not lie to ourselves ladies XD**

 **Also if you are looking for more GaaSaku smut that's painfully dark, tragic, and kind of disgusting you should check out my fic Phantasmagoria. Like everything else in my life ITS NOT FINISHED but you can't really argue with shameless sex scenes. However, a word of caution, it's got just about every trigger under the sun so if you can't stomach it that's totally fine and I wont shame you for it ;)**

 **I love you guys, please review I really enjoy reading through them it totally makes my day :)**


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